KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees4, Januar y, 2011

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ANDREW LOCKE J ILL HAGUEHe’s tapping into business

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3Lending a help ing hand

Co lumn - Page 5

An EXAMINER publication

FittedfurnitureA FAMILY-run kitchen,bedroom and bathroomfurniture firm is sittingpretty after emergingfrom the downturn ingood shape.Slaithwaite-based Davalturned in “fantastic”results – despite one ofthe toughestrecessions to hit thefurniture industry.The company saidbusiness was boomingin all areas – with salesof kitchens up by 54%compared to 2009,more than £900,000 ofpotential new turnoveridentified and an orderbook at its biggest for10 months.

Dealer’sprinciplesA CAR dealer hasovercome theeconomic slump tosteer ahead on sales.Lockwood-based ColinAppleyard Cars wasnamed Sukuzi Dealer ofthe Year in recognitionof its sales record overthe past 12 months.The presentation wasmade to directorsRobin Appleyard andNigel Smith at acelebration dinner.

Don’t ignore January tax deadline, firms toldSMALL firms in Kirklees have beenurged to make a New Year’s resolution tocomplete their self-assessment tax returnsnow – and avoid hefty fines.

Nick Brook, of TaxAssist Accountantsin Huddersfield, said that although theofficial deadline for payment is not untilJanuary 31, many owner-managerscaught up in the Christmas and New Yearrush could end up paying unnecessarypenalties.

“Christmas and New Year can be ahectic time for West Yorkshire smallbusinesses,” he said. “We all want thoserepairs, home improvements and decorat-ing done in time for Christmas, so localtraders are in big demand.

“And for local retailers, Christmas giftbuying and New Year sales can be one of

their busiest periods.“Before you know it, the January dead-

line for payments and returns is loom-ing.

HM Revenue & Customs will levy anautomatic penalty of up to £100 if yourreturn is received late.”

Mr Brook warned: “If by the end ofFebruary you still haven’t paid your taxbill, you may face a 5% surcharge addedto your bill.

“If after six months you have still notpaid, another 5% may be added on top ofthe amount you still owe – while all thetime the tax remains overdue, interest willbe accruing on a daily basis, currentlycharged at 3%.

“Unless you want to needlessly lose asignificant amount of your hard-earned

income to the taxman, the advice is tokeep on top of your tax return andpayment deadlines.

“This will become even more import-ant next year – as both surcharges andpenalties are set to rise from January,2012, applying to 2011 returns.”

Mr Brook, whose Lockwood-basedbusiness provides advice and services tomore than 350 local small businesses, saidthe self-assessment payment deadline wasthe same whether taxpayers file on paperor online.

He said: “Local businesses should havereceived a self-assessment statement oftax owed, but if they haven’t they wouldneed to work out tax due themselves orwith their advisers, or by registering withself assessment online.”

■ ADVICE: Nick Brook, ofTaxAssist Accountants

Haulage firms finda route to savingsHAULAGE firms across Yorkshireare taking a new route to reduce costs,cut crime and tackle climate change.

A European-wide organisationcounting Huddersfield Universityamong its backers is developing avehicle intelligence system whichallows truck drivers to get key inform-ation via their mobiles.

The new device, developed byNorth Sea Freight Intelligence Trans-port Solutions, will help the freightindustry to reduce carbon emissionsby encouraging better driving andavoiding excessive engine idlingtimes.

The communications system willprovide live information to commer-cial truck drivers and their managersas they work across the North Searegion.

The system will supply data includ-ing traffic updates and lorry-specificroad conditions, the locations ofsecure parking and freight crime hot-spots, information on foreign laws androute planning from a variety ofsources and providers.

The information will be available tousers in text, graphical and map

formats, using mobile and satellitetechnology.

To use the system, the driver willdownload the application to his or hermobile phone. The dispatcher also hasaccess to the information through aPC version at their premises.

Both systems are then synchronisedto enable communication fromtrucker to dispatcher at headquartersand vice versa.

Using a mobile phone, the driverwill be notified when the containership is in port, avoiding unnecessarydelays and additional carbon emis-sions. The driver then uses the newsystem to plan the route, taking intoaccount weather and traffic incidentsand known crime hotspots.

On the way to the container ter-minal, the driver will get anotherupdate that the ship has beenunloaded. Just before getting into theterminal, the driver will be told whichtruck line to join and given an approx-imation of the length of time it willtake to complete the transactionwithin the port.

The result is increased efficiency,which should result on lower carbon

emissions to benefit the environmentand the haulage firm’s bottom line.

Development and testing of the NSFRITS system will be completed thisyear.

The university’s partners includeSheffield-based charity People UnitedAgainst Crime, truck manufacturerVolvo, Avanti Communications andthe Dutch Police.

David Ransom, chief executive ofPeople United Against Crime, said thesystem would provide a major boostfor Yorkshire’s 6,900-plus logisticscompanies, which together employ91,000 people and contribute £4.2bnto the regional economy.

“Reducing CO2 and road conges-tion will have dramatic impact uponthe industry as a whole and help theregion’s economy,” he said.

“According to the Department ofEnergy and Climate Change, the issueis not just a ‘massive threat to theglobal environment, it is also perhapsthe greatest economic challenge facingus in the 21st century’.

“The UK is leading the carboneconomy effort with a commitment tocut emissions by 80% by 2050. Theclimate change agenda affects thefreight industry dramatically, in par-ticular road transport. In the UK roadtransport, accounts for 92% of freightrelated carbon emissions.”

■ FREIGHT LINE: David Ransom,of People United Against Crime

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

Private sector leads rise in vacancies for 2010

THE 2.5% rise in VATbrought in today willdrive down retail salesthis year, according toanalysts.

Some businessgroups unsuccessfullycalled on thegovernment to delay theincrease in the standardrate of VAT from 17.5%to 20%, which wasannounced in theChancellor’s EmergencyBudget earlier this year.

Most foodstuffs,children’s clothing andbooks will remainzero-rated and reducedrates will remain onitems such as children’scar seats and supplies ofdomestic fuel and power.

But the increase hasbrought warnings of joblosses, especially in thebuilding industry, wherefirms fear there will bereduced demand fordomestic repair andmaintenance work.

Online shopping groupKelkoo predicted thatconsumers will spend£22.5bn in the Januarysales, an increase of£360m or 1.6%, on lastyear.

But it said manyconsumers will then reinin their spending for therest of the year,signalling another periodof austerity for the retailindustry.

Kelkoo said the NewYear sales could be a“last hurrah” for retailersbefore the VAT hike,which will make runninga car, paying householdbills and buying clothesmore expensive.

A report by the Centrefor Retail Research andKelkoo predicted that UKretail sales are expectedto fall by £2.2bn in thefirst three months of2011 as a direct result ofthe VAT increase.

Consumers will spendan average of £324 lessthis year as a result ofthe tax hike and manyhave been buying goodssuch as electrical itemsand clothes to beat therise, said the report.

British RetailConsortium spokesmanRichard Lim said: “Theprospect of the VAT risegave a modest boost tothe sales of big-ticketand high-end goods inDecember as peoplebrought their buyingforward.”

Mr Lim acknowledgedthe VAT rise wasnecessary as part ofefforts to tackle thedeficit. But he said itwould push up inflationand – along withNational Insurance risesand public sector joblosses – harm sales asthe year continues.

VAT hike‘will hitspending’

Economist lookingon the bright side!BUSINESSES in Kirklees have sixgood reasons to be optimistic abouttheir prospects in the year head,according to a leading economist.

Stephen Boyle, economist at RoyalBank of Scotland, said: “If the lastthree years has taught us anything, it’sto expect the unexpected – and a lot ofuncertainty remains for UK business.

“A loss of market confidence orfurther problems in the financial sys-tem could still de-rail the UK’s fragilerecovery, but this is a time to look onthe bright side – so in that spirit it’sworth offering some potential positivenews for the UK economy for 2011.”

Mr Boyle said company balancesheets were generally in good shape,especially compared to those of house-holds and the government.

“Firms used the downturn to pre-serve cash flows, pay down debt andseek new capital,” he said.

“The spare capacity created by thedownturn is now starting to reducerapidly, while long-term borrowingrates remain at historically low levels –providing a sound basis for animprovement in investment.”

The UK’s flexible labour market hadhelped firms weather the downturn, headded. “Compared with the down-turns in the early 1980s and 1990s,employment levels have been muchmore resilient over the last three years,”said Mr Boyle.

“Firms used options for part-timework or re-assignments rather thanjust relying on lay-offs.

“As a result, more workers have beenkept in productive use than before,helping to retain and enhance skills.”

In addition, the pound would keepthe economy in good shape, Mr Boyleargued.

“We still have a flexible and compet-itive exchange rate,” he said. “The 25%depreciation in sterling since 2007offers a more immediate trade bene-fit.

“In contrast to the monetary con-straints faced by some of the peri-pheral countries in the eurozone, westill retain the flexibility of using theexchange rate as a tool for growth.”

Mr Boyle said it was still a competit-ive advantage to be British – withEnglish as the global business lan-

guage, the UK’s legal systems widelyused and the GMT time zone allowingthe UK to work in both the Asianafternoon and the North Americanmorning.

The UK was also well-prepared fordealing with the current economic cli-mate.

Said Mr Boyle: “We’re been herebefore and prospered! The mid-1990swere also characterised by major cut-backs in government spending, yetthese were also years of positive growthand improvements in investment andtrade.”

And he added: “We have exportstrengths to build on. We are nostrangers to international trade –indeed we are one of the most openeconomies in the world. We must buildon this.

“We are the world’s sixth largestexporter and the second largest interms of services. We have majorstrengths in high value-added manu-facturing, such as aerospace and phar-maceuticals, as well as more traditionalexport products, such as cars andfood-stuffs.”

■ STRENGTHS: Royal Bank ofScotland economist Stephen Boyle

JOB opportunities across thecountry fell “steeply” last month– although pay for new postsincreased, research suggests.

Employment group Reed saidthat despite the recent slump,employer demand for newemployees was up by 4% on ayear ago, thanks to work beingcreated by private firms.

Salaries increased in Decem-ber, reversing a seven-monthreduction and taking themalmost back to their level of a yearago, said Reed.

The report also revealed that ashortage of skilled workersseemed to be returning to partsof industry.

Job demand remained close to12-month highs in transport, con-sultancy, computing, marketing,media and banking, and reacheda new high in engineering, but fellback in the public sector.

Martin Warnes, managing dir-ector of reed.co.uk, said: “Thereare good grounds for cautiousoptimism about new job pro-spects in 2011.

“Rising private sector demandhas been enough to createyear-on-year growth overall inspite of steep falls in new publicsector jobs.

“Demand has accelerated injob sectors as different as con-sultancy, marketing, banking and

engineering.“Salaries have stabilised and in

key areas increased, with skillsshortages starting to re-appear.

“It is true that job growth overthe last 12 months has been mod-est rather than spectacular.

“The real falls in salariesacross the board show thereremains spare people capacityand there are clearly economicchallenges ahead.

“Yet the jobs economy hasu n d o u b t e d l y a v o i d e d amuch-predicted double dip in2010 and the private sector con-tinues to lead a steady recoveryin new job demand.”

■ JOB HOPES: Demand is up for some keysectors, says Reed

Sir Stuart ends six-year tenure at helm of M&SSIR Stuart Rose steps down as chairman ofMarks & Spencer today – bringing hissix-year tenure with the high street giant toa close.

The 61-year-old has had an eventfulleadership, attracting both praise and criti-cism since he joined the retailer in 2004.

Sir Stuart was revered for steering thefirm to profits of £1bn in 2008, but wasvilified for taking on the dual role ofchairman and chief executive – and overexcessive boardroom pay.

Former City banker Robert Swannell,who was a lead adviser to M&S in thedefence against retail tycoon Sir PhilipGreen’s takeover bid in 2004, will replaceSir Stuart as chairman, while former Mor-

risons boss Marc Bolland continues aschief executive, after joining the firm inMay.

Sir Stuart will take on an advisory role atprivate equity firm Bridgepoint after hisdeparture.

Sir Stuart brought in key talent to drive arevival of M&S clothing ranges after tak-ing up the helm and commissioned advert-ising campaigns featuring the likes of supermodels Twiggy, Erin O’Connor and singerMyleene Klass.

But by combining chairman and chiefexecutive, he raised angered many investorsas it breached corporate best practice.

M&S’s rocky ride under his leadershipcan be tracked by its share price – which

increased from 277p at the time of hisappointment to 759p in 2007, before thedownturn chopped it back to 369p lastFriday.

Sir Stuart’s own M&S journey started in1972 when he began his retail career as amanagement trainee.

He later worked with a number ofhigh-profile retailers including the BurtonGroup, Debenhams and Dorothy Perkins.

He cemented his reputation as a majorplayer when joined Arcadia as chief execut-ive in November, 2000, and turned aroundthe company, which was lumbered withmore than £250m debt when he joined. Hepresided over the £855m sale of Arcadia toSir Philip Green in 2002.

■ DEPARTURE: SirStuart Rose leaves M&S

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

Andrew Locke

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: Managing directorAge: 48Family: Married to Sallywith daughters Harriet, 13,and Polly, sevenHolidays: Villamoura, Por-tugalCar: Toyota Land CruiserFirst job: Selling goldfish,potatoes for planting and carpark attendant at PennineGarden CentreBest thing about job:Giving customer satisfactionWorst thing about job:Red tape and not knowingwhen your day is finishedBusiness tip: Be fullycommitted in what you do

Site: Pennine Court, Skel-manthope TechnologyPark, Station Road, Skel-manthorpeEmployees: 14Phone: 01484 860222Email: a.locke@btconnect.com

Andrew LockePlumbing, Heatingand TilingContractors Ltd

Tappingintotradesecrets

THINGS have been plumbcrazy these past fewmonths for Andrew Locke.

The self-employedplumber, heating and tilingspecialist has been busydealing with burst pipesand other domesticdisasters caused by theharsh winter weather.

But keeping busy hasnever been a problem forthe down-to-earth Shelleyman, whose company,Andrew Locke Plumbing,Heating and TilingContractors Ltd, celebrated25 years during 2010.

Andrew is anapprentice-trained plumber,who set up his ownbusiness after being maderedundant in 1985. Sincethen, the company, basedat Station Road,Skelmanthorpe, has grownto employ more than adozen people and carriesout work acrossHuddersfield andthroughout West Yorkshire.

In its time, the companyhas completed work onmajor projects, such as theMelting Point mills-to-flatsdevelopment at FirthStreet, Huddersfield.

The firm has worked oneverything from smallcontracts up to £1mschemes – but has neverforgotten its origins.

As Andrew says:“Mending tap washers canlead to bigger things.”

Those bigger thingsinclude installing energyefficiency systems for thedomestic and commercialmarkets – such assophisticated pumpingsystems to extract warmthfrom the outside air to heatdomestic buildings, typicallyflat complexes.

However, Andrew’scareer could have beenvery different.

He says: “I was born inthe Plough Inn atRoydhouse, Shelley. It wasowned by my parents andis now the Three Acres. Itwas a small drinking pub inthose days.

“I was the youngest offive and lost my dad when Iwas eight months old, so Iwas brought up by my mumand older brothers andsisters. We moved to LowerCumberworth when I wasfive.”

Andrew admits he did notparticularly shine at school.He says: “After leavingShelley High School – withnot many qualifications – Iwanted to do somethingmanually. I tried to get anapprenticeship as a joiner,with no success.

“My sister at the time wasseeing a local plumber’sson and his father neededan apprentice, so I appliedand got the job.

“I really enjoyed workingin the building trade andwith the customers.

“I did a fullapprenticeship on dayrelease at HuddersfieldCollege and passed all therequired exams.“Unfortunately, when I was22, the firm got taken for alarge amount of money anda few of us were maderedundant.

“I still to this day theremember the feeling of

being devastated andembarrassed about nolonger having a job.

“I had some good friendsfrom work, football andcricket contacts and got afew jobs to do from them.

“I approached severalbanks about a loan of£1,000 to set up my ownbusiness as I had appliedfor the Enterprise AllowanceScheme for newbusinesses. One of therequirements was that thegovernment would then payyou £40 per week for 12months.

“The banks turned medown. I only had £400 andmy mum lent me £600. Iwent back to the bank andopened up a businessaccount. The £40 a weekpaid for my vehicle, soanything else was a profit asI lived with my mum.

“I carried on at collegeand did an HNC in buildingat Leeds College. I workedall the hours I could with mymum as secretary.”

He says: “The businessstarted trading in January,1985, so we have beenestablished for 25 years.

“I built the business up byreputation andword-of-mouth work –

setting on a new employeeeach year. Most of them wetrained up ourselves and onday-release.

“In 2007, we had 24 onthe books and the companyturned over £1.4m, but thenthe current recession set injust as we had moved to ourcurrent premises.

“We had some really bigdebtors and the companywas in a perilous situation atone stage.

“But due to hard work,committed staff, goodcontacts and the experiencewe possess we are slowlycoming through the worst.”

Says Andrew: “There arenot as many new dwellingsbeing built at the moment,so work has been tight.

“We are finding there aremore refurbishments beingdone. People are not movingas much, choosing insteadto upgrade their existingproperties.

“We have men who carryvast experience and all theright qualifications in allaspects of plumbing andheating.

“We supply and fit all thelatest energy efficientappliances, which are agood way of saving moneywith the current electricity,

gas and oil prices.“We carry out the

smallest of jobs, such asrewashering a tap tomajor contracts.

“We have a very largedomestic customer baseand work for numerousbuilders, developers,businesses and estateagencies – and I wouldlike to thank them all fortheir loyalty.”

Says Andrew: “I haveseen many changes inpeople’s attitudes to theservices we offer.

“ Standards havealways risen andeverything needs to bedone sooner than later.

“One of the mainreasons for this is the TVprogrammes showinghorror stories of the workdone by some plumbersand heating engineers.

“Mobile phones havecreated far more pressurebecause they mean weare always available –and increase the length ofthe working day. My wifewill vouch for that!”

By 11am on NewYear’s Eve, Andrew’smobile phone had alreadyrung four times withemergency callers.

Not surprisingly, hesays: “It has certainlytaken over my life at timesand many sacrifices havehad to be made.

“I find it hard to switchoff at times, but that’swhat the job brings.

“Its hard to keep all thecustomers happy all thetime with the amount ofemergencies we get.”

Adds Andrew: “We areprobably slightlyunderstaffed at themoment, but its hard tojudge what the currentrecession andgovernment cuts aregoing to cause.”

Away from work,Andrew finds relaxationby playing golf, watchingfootball and supportingdaughters Harriet and

Polly, who compete onponies and are membersof Rockwood HarriersPony Club.

Says Andrew: “ Thehighlight so far – and avery proud moment forme – was seeing myeldest daughter qualifyand ride at the Horse ofthe Year Show earlier thisyear.”

■ ON CALL: Plumber Andrew Locke says the businesshas taken over his life at times

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KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal Page 4

Team resolvedto help firmstackle stressEMPLOYERS in Kirklees arebeing offered help to tackle stressat work.

The offer comes from KirkleesBetter Health at Work, an organ-isation promoting health andwell-being in the workplace forbusinesses across the district.

The initiative, which was set upin 2004, is run by Kirklees Coun-cil, the Health and Safety Execut-ive, the NHS and Job CentrePlus.

Kirklees Better Health at Workhelps employers and employees byraising awareness of the effects ofstress in business, offering trainingin stress management, providingcoaching and counselling andproviding a confidential occupa-t i o n a l h e a l t h , s a f e t y a n dwell-being return-to-work service.

The team has worked withorganisations including PumaUK, Longley Farm, Ellis Fur-niture, Fox’s Biscuits, KirkleesCollege, Hollybank Trust andThornton & Ross.

Now it is urging businesses inKirklees to take advantage of

stress management workshopsand training sessions for employ-ees and managers at venues inHuddersfield and Dewsbury dur-ing 2011.

The call comes after govern-ment figures showed work-relatedillness in Kirklees is estimated tocost between £73.5m and £112.6mfor the past 12 months withwork-related accidents costingbetween £36.4m and £66m.

Figures also showed that morethan 152,000 working days are lostannually to work-related ill-health– with mental health problemssuch as stress, anxiety and depres-sion accounting for about half ofall absences from work.

A spokeswoman said: “Stress,anxiety or depression affects onein five people in Kirklees – butemployers have a legal duty of careto ensure that employees have ahealthy and safe workplace. Stressis now identified as the majorreason for time off work.”

Phone 01484 416751 for detailsor to reserve a place

Record showingfor furniture firmA FAMILY-run kitchen, bedroomand bathroom furniture firm isgoing from strength to strength.

Slaithwaite-based Daval hasturned in “fantastic” results – des-pite experiencing one of thetoughest recessions to hit the fur-niture industry.

In all areas of the company,business is blooming – with kitchensales up by 54% compared to 2009and more than £900,000 of poten-tial new turnover identified.

In addition, Daval is now enjoy-ing its biggest order book in 10months.

D av a l ’s g ro u n d b r e a k i n gOption-I technology, which waslaunched in 2008, propelled thecompany to the forefront of itsfield as individual, flexible,design-led specialists – offering amade-to-measure approach whichhas proved popular with con-sumers and independent retailers.

Option-I is a software systemthat handles all aspects of a cus-tomer’s order – from placing the

order to packaging and dispatch-ing the finished product.

The system also allows custom-ers to specify a much wider rangeof colours, styles and finishes whenthey select the company’s fittedbedrooms, kitchens and bath-rooms.

This has resulted in a carefullymanaged strategy that allows forindividual care for different deal-ers, including tailored product, ser-vice and marketing support.

Daval saw great success in thekitchen sector during 2010 – andthe growth looks set to continue.Kitchens are now 30% of the totalturnover and this is expected to riseto 50% in 2011.

Simon Bodsworth, businessdevelopment and marketing man-ager at Daval, said: “The recessionwas an incredibly nerve-wrackingtime for everyone in the industry,but what we saw was incrediblyinteresting.

“The sales of our kitchensweren’t dipping. In fact, we wit-

nessed a growth of 16% in the salesof our traditional kitchens.

“Our dealers have welcomed thecustom of many over 60s who aredeciding to invest in their homespreferring this to the disappointingreturn on savings.

“Overall, the DK63 kitchen,which featured in the Spring Sum-mer Muted Shades Collection, hasbeen our best selling range in 2010which we are delighted with.

“The general feeling in theindustry now is one of positivityagain.

“As we recuperate from therecession we expect to see seasonaltrends back again rather than theflatlined designs we have been usedto.”

Daval said it had fitted 100 newdealer displays with a further 40identified. New product launchesare due in the spring – putting thecompany on course to anotherrecord-breaking year. The firm hasmore than 150 approved dealersthroughout the UK.

■ POSITIVE: Simon Bodsworth, ofSlaithwaite-based Daval

Bacs checksout post delaysDELAYS to mail deliveries caused bysevere weather are likely to hit firmswaiting for cheques in the post,according to the organisationbehind automated payments.Research by Bacs Payment Schemesuggests that British businessescould be facing cash flow misery inthe early part of the new year.Bacs said small and medium-sizedfirms were already owed an averageof £32,000 each in late payments –adding up to a massive national billof £24.6bn.More than three-quarters of thecountry’s 1.68m SMEs receivepayments via cheque – and with theexpectation that many of thesecheques will be sent by post, thenational bill could rise to newheights over the coming weeks ifpayments are delayed in the post.Mike Hutchinson, head of marketingat Bacs, said: “Companies can helpprotect their cash flow againstpotential postal disruption byswapping to automated paymentmethods such as Direct Debits andBacs Direct Credit.“The latest bout of bad weather is areminder for businesses to considerall their options and – incollaboration with their suppliersand customers – decide whichalternative payment methods bestsuit their specific needs.”Bacs is a not-for-profit,membership-based industry bodyowned by 16 of the leading banksand building societies in the UK andEurope. It is responsible for theschemes behind the clearing andsettlement of automated paymentsin the UK, including Direct Debit andBacs Direct Credit.

Train companygets top ratingSTAFF at a train company runningthrough Huddersfield have helped itachieve a five-star award.Independent assessors from theBritish Quality Foundation visitedFirst TransPennine Express tointerview employees at all levels tofind out how they feel about workingfor the company.The assessors praised the firm forits innovation, culture andleadership, which had created “ahigh performance organisationwhere pride and passion from staffwere noted as key elements”.The company’s commitment to itspeople was highlighted as a realstrength and key contributor to itssuccess.Vernon Barker, managing director forFTPE, said: “This is a fantasticaward and acknowledgement of thesuccess that we have achieved.“Everyone in the business hasworked extremely hard to provide anexcellent service to customers.”He added: “To achieve, five stars, thebest possible result and to be thefirst in our industry to do so issomething to be very proud of andwe will continue to strive for furtherexcellence for our customers.”■ STRESS TEST: Senior health at work adviser Liz Stokes (centre) with

workplace advisers Lorraine Postlethwaite (left) and Angela Bamforth, ofBetter Health at Work

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

BANKER’SBLOGJill Hague

Jill Hague is HSBC area commercial director for Calderdaleand Kirklees

Winningsystem forlawyersA LEADING national lawfirm has turned toHuddersfield to improveits IT systems.Matthew Arnold andBaldwin has employedthe services ofLockwood-based P2Technologies to make itsbusiness more efficient.The law firm wanted toprovide management,line managers and feeearners with access todetails of theirperformances.The solicitors haveintroduced P2Technologies’ SmartEyesystem, which providesall employees with theinformation.As a result of being ableto undertake real-timemonitoring of keyperformance areas, thefirm has improved overallefficiency.The SmartEye system isdesigned specifically forlaw firms. It providesinstant aggregatedperformance informationto management teams.P2 tailors the system toindividual requirements,providing a web-basedsystem that is simple todeploy and use.Nick Mercer, director ofbusiness operations atMatthew Arnold andBaldwin, said: “Beforeusing SmartEye,employees had to runindividual reports to seeif they were reachingtheir targets.“These were instantly outof date and took upcomputer time whenindividuals could bedoing something moreproductive.“SmartEye haseliminated these issues.We use the softwareacross the company,individuals access theirmonthly targets, teamscan access team targetsand we can view annualand monthly targets forthe whole firm.”Graham Moore, directorof P2 Technologies, said:“We are delighted to beworking with MatthewArnold and Baldwin.“We have worked closelywith the team to providethem with a solution thatis tailored to the firm’sspecific businessrequirements.“We will continue toinvest significantly in thesupport anddevelopment ofSmartEye to ensure thatthe product stays at theforefront of legal specificBI systems as the legalservices marketdevelops.”

Financial facts of‘lending drought’LENDING to businesses is

declining – or so the mediasays.

Has lending really suffered? Howdifficult is it for businesses to secureadditional funding in the presentclimate? What can you do toimprove your chances of having yourloan application approved?

So here are some answers to somekey questions about loan financeand advice on what banks are look-ing for.

Is it as hard for the business to geta loan as the media suggest? There isno doubt that there has been sometightening of lending criteria in asmall number of industry segments –reflecting the increased risks in arecession. And notwithstanding theassociated viability issues of somepropositions which we are presentedwith, I accept that more declinedapplications for credit may have ledto comment from the business com-munity.

However, HSBC has remainedwell-capitalised and liquid and thishas enabled us to remain very muchopen for business through the down-turn. We continue to be so. Lowappetite to borrow is a primaryfactor and is prevalent amongSMEs. Many businesses have beencautious, reducing stock levels, cut-ting costs, deferring capital invest-m e n t a n d r e d u c i n g t h e i rborrowing.

This is consistent with behaviourwe have seen in previous recessions,although I am pleased to report thatthere has been encouraging balancesheet trends emerging during theyear. Notably our new term lending

to UK SMEs is up over 20% on thesame period last year.

When applying for a loan, who doyou like to speak to from the busi-ness? Our approach to banking isfounded on strong, long-term rela-tionships and we look to supportcompanies through a sound under-standing of their business and theirambitions. Subject to the size andcomplexity of a given business, thismay mean that we need to speak to anumber of individuals to gain asufficient comfort level in thisregard, but typically we are lookingto speak with the business decisionmakers.

What information should I pre-pare in advance and how should it bepresented? A sound business planbased upon a credible strategy,robust financial information andforecasts, with consideration to busi-ness sensitivities is of huge assist-ance in our assessment process.

In terms of presentation, we offerinformation and help to businesses24/7 on our comprehensive Know-ledge Centre.

How much information will yourequire? The more information we

have to base our assessment on thebetter. Naturally, if you are an exist-ing customer of some years, ourknowledge of your business will bedeeper than if you are new to us oryour relationship with us is lessestablished. The depth and detail ofthe information we require willreflect this, in the context of thenature and size of any borrowingrequest.

How specific will we need to be onhow we intend to use the loan? As aresponsible lender, we do look forour customers to be specific in theirfunding requests in order that wecan make a balanced assessment andensure that any borrowing is appro-priately structured in the interests ofthe customer and ourselves. It may,for example, be appropriate to con-sider alternative funding structuressuch as vehicle or equipment fin-ance. Our commercial managers andproduct specialists can providein-depth knowledge across a rangeof solutions.

What kind of security will youexpect in return? We consider allb o r r o w i n g r e q u e s t s o n acase-by-case basis and any associ-

ated security requirements. Whilstability to repay any borrowingrequest from cashflow remains ourprimary consideration, we willassess the strength of a propositionif it needs supporting security (busi-ness, director or third party) as ameans of demonstrating commit-ment.

To what extent will our otherloans be counted into the decision?In terms of our assessment this is notan issue if your business plan isrobust and the business has thecapacity to cope with additionalborrowing from a cashflow and bal-ance sheet perspective.

How flexible are the repaymentterms? Can we repay early, forexample? A lot of the loans we makeare on an amortising basis, whichsimply means reducing the debt bypaying regular, agreed instalments.Early repayments to this type of loanwill typically carry a prepayment fee,a function of the longer term fund-ing costs that we incur. Flexibility inrepayments structures, such asinterest-only periods or lump-sumreductions can be accommodated incertain circumstances.

Loans apart, what other financingoptions are available? We will con-tinue to recommend the best way tostructure borrowing in the interestsof the customer. For example, wherea business is looking to effectivelymanage its cashflow for growth, wewould look to support with ourinvoice finance solutions. For a busi-ness looking to expand their exportmarkets, we would look to offertrade finance solutions.

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Take note of these key measuresKIRKLEES companies will

have to grapple with import-ant legislative changes in 2011.Government cuts, tax increasesand changes to employmentlaw are among the matters setto have an impact on employersover the coming months. Here,Sinead Sopala (right), of lawfirm Ramsdens, lists some ofthe bigger issues facing busi-ness bosses in the year ahead.

● The VAT rate increases todayfrom 17.5% to 20%

● Provisions allowing fathers totake additional paternity leave of upto 26 weeks, subject to certain condi-tions, comes into force from April 3

● From April 6, employers willnot be able to give any further work-ers reaching the default retirement

age notification to retire. Notifica-tions issued prior to April 6 will onlytake effect up to October 1. After

that, default retirement ages can onlybe used if they are justified object-ively

● National Insurance contribu-tions are set to increase by 1% inApril for all those earning more then£20,000

● The Bribery Act is due to comeinto force in April. This will, amongother provisions, create a newoffence of “failure by a commercialorganisation to prevent a bribe beingpaid for or on its behalf”

● The parts of the Equality Actcontaining the Public Sector Equal-ity Duty are due to be implementedin April. These are designed to elim-inate discrimination in local govern-m e n t a n d p u b l i c s e c t o rorganisations

● From April, more workers will

be able to take advantage of flexibleworking conditions. At present, onlyparents of children under 17, dis-abled children under 18 and carershave this right, but it will be extendedto all parents of children under 18.

Proposals to extend the right fur-ther to all employees are due to bepublished next year

● From October, the AgencyWorkers Regulations 2010 are due tocome into force. These will guaran-tee agency workers that have workedfor 12 weeks in a job, the same basicterms of conditions of employmentas equivalent directly hired workersin broadly similar roles.

Basic conditions include salaryand overtime pay, rest breaks andholiday entitlement

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS review of 2010 Page 6

BP, bank bonuses anda year of uncertaintyAFTER the turmoil caused by

the near financial meltdown,investors were able to walk onfirmer ground throughout 2010.However, the year was notwithout setbacks and hurdles,not least for BP and theEuropean economy. Here is alook back at some of the keyevents of the last year.

● January – The UK barelycrawled out of recession in the finalthree months of 2009 as marginalgrowth of 0.1% ended a record sixstraight quarters of decline.

Cadbury’s resistance to a takeoverby Kraft Foods melted away after theUS giant tabled a higher bid worth£11.9bn. Philadelphia cheese makerKraft announced the backing of theCadbury board for a revised 840p pershare offer in a move ending theindependent history of the Britishfirm dating back to 1824.

The UK’s biggest pet retailerchanged hands for an estimated£950m after Kohlberg KravisRoberts bought Pets at Home fromfellow buy-out firm Bridgepoint.

● February – Barclays provokedmore bonus fury after about 23,000investment bankers pocketed anaverage £191,000 in pay and bonusesas the banking giant surged to recordprofits of £11.6bn in 2009.

Lloyds Banking Group continuedto count the cost of its HBOStakeover after losses hit £6.3bn and itrevealed £24bn in bad debts.

Sir Richard Branson and otherbusiness leaders warned the UKrisked being racked by painful hikesin the cost of food, heating and travelbecause it is unprepared for surgingoil prices.

● March – Alistair Darling drewthe battle lines for the general elec-tion with a highly political Budgetthat squeezed the better off whileoffering help to new homebuyers, theelderly and the young unemployed.

Insurance giant Prudential set itssights on becoming Asia’s largestplayer after unveiling a takeover dealthat will require it to tap sharehold-ers for a record £14bn.

Administrators to rail mainten-ance firm Jarvis made 1,100 redund-ancies after admitting it was notpossible for the company to continuetrading. The York-based groupsuffered “very considerable reduc-tions” in business since the recessionstruck and its future was dependenton support from lenders and Net-work Rail.

● April – Airline and travel stockssuffered turbulence after the travelindustry was hit hard by six days ofrestrictions caused by the Icelandicvolcano. Airline experts estimatedduring the ash cloud crisis that theimpact of the eruption was costingthe industry £106m to £123m a day.

Eleven workers were missing, pre-sumed dead after the DeepwaterHorizon oil rig sank following anexplosion about 50 miles from thecoast of Louisiana. The blast was oneof the US’s deadliest offshore drillingaccidents in 50 years.

Bus and rail firm Arriva agreed a£1.59bn takeover by German oper-ator Deutsche Bahn to create a newEuropean transport giant.

● May – David Cameron’s arrivalin Downing Street was met with reliefin the City after five days of uncer-tainty about the shape of a newgovernment, although attentionquickly turned to plans for tacklingthe financial deficit.

Europe’s single currency countriesbowed to the inevitable and backed am a s s ive £ 9 5 b n b a i l - o u t fo rcrisis-stricken Greece. The EuropeanUnion and the IMF also pledgednearly one trillion US dollars todefend the embattled euro.

Supermarket giant Asda snappedup the UK arm of discount retailerNetto in a move set to add another193 stores to its estate. Asda, ownedby US group Wal-Mart, agreed a£778m deal to buy the stores.

● June – Chancellor GeorgeOsborne announced a massive £11bnbenefits squeeze and a hike in VAT tobring Britain’s record deficit undercontrol.

Shares in beleaguered oil giant BPslumped to a 14-year low amid con-tinued fears of a funding crisissparked by the Gulf of Mexico dis-aster.

Tesco chief executive Sir TerryLeahy announced plans to step downin March after 14 years leading Bri-tain’s biggest supermarket. He will besucceeded by international and ITdirector Philip Clarke, who hasworked at Tesco throughout hiscareer, having first started as apart-time assistant in 1974.

● July – BP plunged into the redfor the first time in 18 years after itracked up a huge £21bn bill for theGulf of Mexico spill. The oil giant,which also confirmed the departureof chief executive Tony Hayward,posted a loss of £11bn for theApril-June period and announced upto £19.3bn in asset sales in the next 18months. US citizen Bob Dudley tookthe helm from Mr Hayward, whosaid he had been “demonised andvilified” over the disaster.

Vanish-to-Cill it Bang giantReckitt Benckiser agreed a £2.5bndeal to snap up the consumer goodsgroup behind Durex and Scholl foot-care. Anglo-Dutch Reckitt said the

takeover of SSL Internationalincreased revenues in its health andpersonal care arm by 36% to£2.8bn.

Marks & Spencer ended months ofspeculation over its succession planswhen it named City banker RobertSwannell as its next chairman insuccession to Sir Stuart Rose

● September – HSBC announceda major shake-up sparked by chair-man Stephen Green’s decision to jointhe coalition Government. Chiefexecutive Michael Geoghegan will bereplaced by investment head StuartGulliver, while Douglas Flint, thebank’s finance director, secured MrGreen’s role.

Business secretary Vince Cablelaunched a searing attack on the City“spivs and gamblers” who crippledthe British economy. Mr Cable con-demned the “outrageous” scale ofbank bonuses after the creditcrunch.

Consumer goods giant Unileverunveiled a deal worth £2.3bn to addVO5 shampoo and Simple soap to itsportfolio. Unilever, which ownsbrands such as Dove, Sunsilk, Pond’sand Vaseline, said the acquisition ofAlberto Culver would make it theworld leader in hair conditioning andsecond largest in shampoo.

● October – George Osborne tookthe axe to the welfare budget, slash-ing benefit payments by £7bn as hesought to put the nation’s finances ona sound footing. The Chancellor setout plans to cut government spend-ing by £81bn over the next four years,in a settlement he described as“tough but fair”.

Thomas Cook and the Co-opunveiled plans to merge their highstreet travel businesses in a moveexpected to cost hundreds of UKjobs.

The UK pub industry was againcleared by competition watchdogsafter the Office of Fair Trading stuckby its initial findings last Octoberthat there was no evidence thatso-called tied prices damage compet-ition.

● November – Britain’s energygiants faced an investigation by theindustry watchdog after Ofgem saidprice hikes had caused suppliers’profit margins to soar by 38%.

Manufacturing giant Rolls-Roycesaid it had identified the faulty partbehind an engine failure whichforced a Qantas A380 superjumbointo an emergency landing.

Farmer and businessman BernardMatthews, who made a multi-millionpound fortune through his vastpoultry company and is widely cred-ited with bringing cheap turkey meatto the masses, died at the age of 80.

● December – The City watchdogruled out action against formerbosses at Royal Bank of Scotlandafter finding no evidence of fraud ordishonest activity in the lead-up tothe financial crisis.

Part-nationalised Lloyds BankingGroup announced it will have towrite off more of its £26.7bn portfo-lio of loans in Ireland due to thedeteriorating economic situation inthe country.

Engineering company Weir wasfined £3m by a court for payingillegal kickbacks to Saddam Hus-sein’s regime to secure lucrative con-tracts.

Virgin Atlantic fuelled speculationit could pursue a merger or tie-upafter it said it said it had beencontacted by other companies sinceit appointed Deutsche Bank at thebeginning of November to assess theaviation industry and growth oppor-tunities.

■ FACES OF 2010: BP chief executive TonyHayward (above, left) was replaced bymanaging director Bob Dudley (right) while(clockwise from top left) Sir Terry Leahy,Vince Cable, Sir Richard Branson andBernard Matthews also made the headlinesduring a memorable year for business

■ CUTTING EDGE: Chancellor George Osborne unveiled plans for £81bnof government spending cuts over four years to tackle the UK’s deficit

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 7

It’s the GreenHouse effectA COMPANY making kitchens forthe social housing sector is takingpart in a pioneering “green” project.

Liversedge-based Rixonway Kit-chens has joined the Green Houseproject to show how family homescan be refurbished in a way to reducetheir impact on the environment aswell making them cheaper to run.

Rixonway was chosen on thestrength of its environmental creden-tials for the project being run byHuntingdonshire District Council.

The local authority has teamed upwith the Building Research Establish-ment as part of its Rethinking Refur-bishment campaign.

New build properties have strin-gent regulations for meeting environ-mental and sustainability standards.However, refurbishing homes to thesame standards can be difficult due tothe nature of some older properties.

Two “green houses” have beenrefurbished to the highest qualityenvironmental standards and arebeing used as examples of best prac-tice for other social housing providersand building contractors.

Organisers of the campaign saidusing suppliers with high sustainabil-ity credentials such as Rixonwayensured that environmental stand-ards were maintained.

Rixonway has created a new recyc-ling contract whereby no waste from

its manufacturing site goes to land-fill.

Material used in its manufacturingprocess is accredited by the ForestStewardship Council, which recog-nises that the timber is derived frommanaged, sustainable sources andcan be traced back to its roots.

Rixonway salvages all the wood

waste from its production process.That wood is collected and fed into

a state of the art wood waste systemwhich reduces it to a fine, saw-dust-like residue which is then used togenerate biomass fuel.

Rixonway is also the largest organ-isation in the UK to install the Ecog-ate System of dust control, which hasreduced its carbon footprint dramat-ically.

The company expects to save about23% of its electricity usage on siteequating to approximately 400,000kgof CO2 a year.

Rixonway operations director NickGreenall said: “Rixonway Kitchens isdelighted to have been selected as thekitchen supplier to the Green Houseproject due to its high environmentaland sustainability credentials.

“We have worked hard to ensurethat Rixonway Kitchens leads theindustry with its environmental initi-atives which recently resulted in usbeing able to confidently state that100% of our waste is recycled.”

Clr Jonathan Gray, who has execut-ive responsibilities for environment atHuntingdonshire District Council,said: “The Green Houses are anessential demonstration and educa-tional resource for home owners,housing providers, tradesmen, localsuppliers and schools.”

Agents appointedfor office schemePROPERTY agencies JonesLang LaSalle and King Sturgehave been appointed jointleasing agents to overseeoffice units at a £140mdevelopment in WestYorkshire.Both agencies will handle the48,000sq ft of new Grade Aoffice space at Merchant Gatein Wakefield on behalf ofEnglish Cities Fund.The landmark scheme is sitedin the heart of the city andnext to Westgate train station,which connects Wakefield toLondon in just over two hoursand to Leeds in less than 20minutes.The office units at MerchantGate are located across threebuildings at 1 and 2 BurgageSquare and Emerald House.They are situated next toimpressive public spacewhich will boast shops, cafesand restaurants, while a newmulti-storey car park hasbeen built adjacent to thestation.Jeff Pearey, Jones LangLaSalle in Leeds, said:

“Merchant Gate comprisesthree brand new buildingswhich make up an impressivenew business district andcomprise some of the bestoffices currently available inWakefield.“We are looking forward toworking with ECf and KingSturge to extend the welcometo new occupiers into thisexciting, vibrant scheme.”Emma Cordingley,development director atEnglish Cities Fund, said:“Having recently completedphase one, Merchant Gate isgaining great momentum,with several commercialenquiries coming throughfrom national companies andlocal businesses such ascafes, restaurants and smallindependent retailers.“Despite the economicclimate, this landmarkscheme is spearheadingWakefield’s current majorurban regenerationprogramme.”

Hopeful signs for housebuildersHOUSEBUILDERS are takingencouragement from new figuresshowing a rise in new homeregistrations.

Figures from the National HouseBuilding Council showed thatregistrations for September toNovember, 2010, were up by 7% onthe same period last year – at 28,910against 27,124.

The NHBC said figures looked setto end the year with an improvementof more than 30% from the previousyear overall.

NHBC chief executive ImtiazFarookhi said: “The year started very

brightly in comparison to last year,but tailed off as potentialhousebuyers awaited the outcome ofthe government’s spending review inthe autumn.

“Now that the scope of the plannedcuts is known, there seems to havebeen a slight bounce in consumerconfidence which may allow theindustry to build some momentum inthe early part of 2011.

“What the industry needs above allfrom government in the year ahead isclear and consistent policy and – inparticular – positive measures toimprove mortgage availability, which

is now clearly the major factorconstraining volumes.”

Figures for September toNovember showed that privateregistrations rose by 7% to 19,909against 18,617 last year while publicsector registrations were up by 6% at9,001 compared with 8,507 last time.

Yorkshire reported 1,763 newregistrations compared with 1,264 forSeptember to November, 2009.

There were increases in all UKregions except Eastern England, theSouth West, Scotland and NorthernIreland.

■ WASTE NOT: Rixonwayoperations director Nick Greenall

More join Britain’sproperty millionairesTHE number of propertymillionaires in Britain rose by6% during 2010 – but washalved in Yorkshire andHumber, latest figures reveal.Figures from property searchwebsite Zoopla.uk showedthe number of UK propertiesworth £1m or more rose by12,811 – the equivalent of 35new property millionairesbeing created every day.It means that 226,344 – or onein 118 homes – are now worth£1m or more. That compareswith a peak of one in 97 in2007.But the gap between northand south widened – with thebiggest gains seen inLondon, the south-east andeastern England and thebiggest losses in Yorkshireand Wales.London and the South Eastgrew by 11.1% and 11.9%respectively – making thoseregions home to four out ofevery five million-pound

properties in Britain. Londonalone accounts for more thanhalf the national total at 54%.Scotland saw its propertymillionaire ranks fall by 13.7%and the number of Welshproperty millionaires fell by astaggering 48.8% withYorkshire at a similar level.Nick Leeming, ofZoopla.co.uk, said: “Thenorth versus south wealthdivide is now starker thanever.“Property values haverecovered well at the top endof the property market, butthe rest of the market andparticularly the north haveseen a steep decline inhigh-end property values.“The prime market in thesouth has been impacted farless by the mortgage squeezeas a result of the inflow offoreign money and thestrength in the City keepingdemand for million poundpads at peak levels.”

■ SEVEN-FIGURES: Banney Royd ay Edgerton is one of agrowing number of million pound-plus properties

Buyer sought for landmark buildingA LANDMARK building in Halifaxtown centre has been placed on themarket for sale by Colliers Interna-tional.

The former nightclub at 13-17 Sil-ver Street has been released withplanning permission already in placefor a 73-bed hotel with associatedshops, restaurant and gym. Theimposing four-storey buildingprovides 35,424sq ft of useablespace.

Jonathan McGrael, of the Leeds

office of Colliers International, said,“This is a strong proposition given thelocation and potential.

“The building is set to benefit frombeing only 250 yards from BroadStreet, the much anticipated newmixed use development comprisingbars, restaurants and office spaceanchored by a new nine-screencinema, ten-pin bowling alley and 429space multi-storey car park, whichwill substantially improve Halifax’sleisure market.”

Said Mr McGrael: “Silver Street isalso within a strong retail catchment,being just off the pedestrianisedSouthgate area and close to theWoolshops Shopping Centre, which isanchored by Marks & Spencer andWH Smiths. In addition, the Grade Ilisted Piece Hall and historic BoroughMarket are within a short walkingdistance of the property.”

Offers are invited for the sale of theproperty although a lease propositionwill be considered.

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8

Pigging out? Perry’sjust part of the team!

Car dealershipin the fast laneA CAR dealer in Huddersfieldhas overcome the economicslump to rev up sales.

Now Lockwood-basedSuzuki dealer Colin AppleyardCars has been recognised forits sales record over the past 12months at a Suzuki conferenceand awards dinner.

Managing director RobinAppleyard and director andgeneral manager Nigel Smithreceived the Suzuki Dealer ofthe Year award.

This is the fifth time in ColinAppleyard’s 30-years historyt h a t i t h a s w o n t h emuch-coveted trophy.

David Seward, Suzuki salesand market ing director,praised the company for itsperformance, saying: “ColinAppleyard was Suzuki’s topperforming dealership thisyear. They were up againstsome stiff competition fromdealers from all over the UK,so this is a great achievement.

The win also highlights theprofessionalism and commit-ment of Colin Appleyard’sstaff.”

Mr Appleyard said: “It hasbeen a tough year, but Suzukihave a range of cars that offerexcellent value for money withthe five-door Alto starting atjust £5999. The new Swift,introduced in the summer, isalso proving extremely popu-lar.

“In addit ion, the badweather so far this winter hasmeant the four wheel driveGrand Vitaras and Jimnyshave also been selling well – soit looks like we shall have abetter than expected Decem-ber.”

Colin Appleyard Cars wasSuzuki’s very first official deal-ership in the UK and now hasshowrooms in Huddersfield,Keighley, Ashton-under-Lyneand Shipley.

■ TOP GEAR: David Seward (left) of Suzuki, presents theaward to Nigel Smith (centre) and Robin Appleyard, of ColinAppleyard Cars

Partnership paying off for Holme Valley garage

Steve Denison

PwCSTEVE Denison, northernchairman at accountancy firmPricewaterhouseCoopers, hasbeen appointed non-executivedirector at award-winning socialenterprise CREATE.

Mr Denison (pictured) willprovide advice and guidance tothe organisation and use PwC’snetwork to help with CREATE’snational roll-out plan.

CREATE is committed to developing innovativetraining and employment opportunities for peoplewho have been homeless, marginalised orvulnerable.

Said Mr Denison: “I’m thrilled to be joiningCREATE. Supporting the local community hasalways been high on our agenda and I’m reallylooking forward to working with this fantastic andinnovative organisation and developing a longterm partnership with them.”

African markets thatmay proves temptingKIRKLEES companies are being urged to look atexport opportunities in North Africa.

A briefing in Bradford later this year will put thefocus on Algeria – where UK exports have more thandoubled in the past five years.

Trade experts said opportunities existed for UKcompanies supplying lubricants, agriculturalmachinery, education and training services,pharmaceuticals, aerospace, timber, power supplyand textiles.

The briefing will be held at 9.45am on Tuesday,March 8, at the Bradford University School ofManagement.

A spokesman for Chamber International, which ishelping co-ordinate the event, said speakers wouldgive an insight into trading with Algeria and NorthAfrica and explain how to avoid getting caught out bycomplex trade procedures, tariffs and legislation.

Delegates would get top tips on how to ensureprompt, trouble free payments for their exports, learnfrom specialists who help UK businesses meetAlgerian product standards, understand culturalissues that need to be considered and have achance to network.

Said the spokesman: “If you already export toAlgeria and want to increase sales or if you know amarket exists for your product but have been put offby the bureaucracy involved then this event is foryou.”

Phone 0845 0347200

Company recognisedin healthcare awardsA SMALL firm providing healthcare products hasachieved worldwide recognition.

FPD Medical Ltd, which has 12 employees, wonthe “platinum” award for its category in the first-everNursing Times Awards.

The accolade came in the category for bestproduct in wound care and pressure ulcer preventionand recognised the success of FPD’s Adermapressure ulcer prevention gel pads.

Judges praised the product as “brilliant”, saying: “Itwill make a massive difference to patients' lives.”

Chief executive Craig Barson said: “As a smallcompany, we were delighted to come first – beating3M and Aspen Medical into second and third placerespectively.”

FPD, based at Greetland, supplies productsincluding foam mattresses, duvets and pillows,hollow fibre covers, pads and gels.

Aderma dermal pads have been formulated tomimic fatty tissue and are used to redistributepressure while protecting and padding bony areas ofthe body.

SHOPPERS looked twice whenthey saw Perry the Pig (left) taketo the ice rink at Huddersfield’sPiazza.

But the pink pig is a starperformer for Slaithwaite’sPiggyprint.com – and hisappearance on the ice is just thelatest in a series of stunts topromote the company.

Scott Gardner, ofPiggyprint.com, said: “Welaunched the company just a yearago and chose the pig as our‘mascot’. We ran a competition onFacebook to name the pig andfrom the suggestions we decidedto call him Percy. After about threedays, we were told we couldn’t dothat because Marks & Spencerhas registered the name for itschildren’s sweets range!”

The newly-named Perry wasbrought to life for a series ofvideos on the company’s website.

The first saw Perry – improbably –buying a pork pie from a butcher’sshop. The second film will featurehis exploits on the ice, thanks toco-operation from KirkleesCouncil.

Said Scott: “We have givenPerry a profile on Facebook and atthe last count he had 126 friendsin just three weeks. People want tohave their pictures taken with him– and one person even asked forhis autograph!

“Although the idea is to usePerry as a marketing tool, wegenuinely see him as part of theteam.”

Piggyprint.com provides printedmaterials such as leaflets andbusiness cards as well as offeringdigital printing and printed andembroidered clothing for thehospitality industry, hen nights andstag nights. It also undertakeswebsite design and hosting.

A GARAGE in Huddersfield hasachieved a new level ion customerservice.Turner Brothers at Holmfirth hassecured a Premier Partnership with theBlackcircles.com fitting and servicenetwork.To achieve Premier Partnership status,garages must work to “the higheststandards” in vehicle repair, tyre fitting

and customer service.Alan Littlewood, head of network andsupply at Blackcircles.com, said: “It’sfantastic news for us to be going intopartnership with Turner Brothers.“We look forward to helping themdevelop their business further in thelong term.“We will be working together to makesure that we always have the strongest

offer of value and service in theautomotive market.”Part of the Premier Garage agreementsees Turner Brothers signing up to theMotor Industry Code of Practice.Through this programme, regularchecks take place to make sure thatstandards are adhered to for everycustomer who drives into TurnerBrothers’ forecourt.