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Planning consultancy Axis expands into Newcastle with 10-strong Hoults Yard office
Planning and environmental consultancy Axis has expanded into the North East with a Newcastle office. The North West firm, which employs 50 people across offices in Chester and Manchester, says the move has created new opportunities for collaboration and growth. Initially 10 people are based at the Hoults Yard office which hopes to take advantage of an evolving North East development landscape. The firm, now an Employee Ownership Trust, was established in 2000 and has built a track record in achieving consents across different sectors, particularly infrastructure projects. Its portfolio of work includes carbon capture and storage demonstration facilities, hydrogen schemes and battery storage facilities, among others. On Teesside, the Axis team has recently secured planning permission for a CO2 storage facility. Former Cundall planning director Ian Cansfield has been appointed to lead the Newcastle office as technical director. Mr Cansfield has worked in the North East throughout his career and has experience across the UK in masterplanning, regeneration, data centres, leisure and residential development. Mr Cansfield said " Bringing Axis to the North East in our 25th year is a fantastic opportunity to enhance our reach and offer our expertise to new clients. We look forward to working with developers, and businesses across the region to help bring forward successful projects with sustainable, intelligent planning at their core." Axis says recruitment is already underway to build a team in the Newcastle office to serve regional demand. Coun Dan Greenhough, cabinet member for economy, jobs and skills at Newcastle City Council, said: "Axis' decision to open a new office in Newcastle is a clear vote of confidence in our city and the wider North East region. As we continue to drive forward our plan for delivering inclusive and sustainable urban development, having experienced planning and environmental consultancy expertise on our doorstep will be invaluable. "We welcome Axis to Newcastle and look forward to seeing their contribution to shaping key infrastructure and regeneration projects in the years to come." As part its 25th anniversary celebrations, Axis has launched an initiative with rewilding and conservation organisation Make it Wild, through which it will create a woodland. The project will start with 75 trees (three for every year of Axis), with ongoing annual tree planting as a long-term investment in natural spaces.
Jasper Carrott to star at charity lunch
Brummie comedian Jasper Carrott will be the guest of honour at a charity lunch in the city. The Journalists' Charity will be hosting the event as the performer marks his 80th birthday this month. It takes place on May 2 at Edgbaston cricket stadium. The charity was founded by Charles Dickens in 1864 to help journalists and their dependents going through tough times and offers advice, emergency support and financial assistance. Jasper has been a great supporter of the charity for many years and was recently appointed a life vice-president. He said: "If I am still alive by May 2, it will be my pleasure to entertain many close friends from the world of journalism and entertainment. Nothing is planned so nothing can go wrong? "I am so looking forward to it, I have bought a new bib and a pair of socks. Come and join me, I would dearly love to see you all.” Derek Inman, chairman of the charity's Midlands district, added: "Jasper at 80, what a milestone. "He is a true legend, one of the funniest comics the region has ever produced. It is a real honour that he has chosen to celebrate this special occasion with us.”
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Jones Village Bakery creating 50 new jobs on strong export growth
Jones Village Bakery is creating 50 new jobs after landing new contracts in the Middle East and Australia. The Wrexham-based business said its exports are forecast to break the £10m barrier this year. Recent export deals include supplying gluten-free products to seven Gulf States in the Middle East. Earlier this year the company started shipping products to Australia where the company’s pancakes are being sold across the country. The bakery is also experiencing surging demand from Europe, particularly in France, Germany, Belgium and Holland. It is also supplying a worldwide network of around 200 M&S stores – as far afield as Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East – which are selling its crumpets, scones, pancakes, bagels, rolls, Welsh Cakes and pikelets. Read More : Wrexham cereal factory to become biggest in Europe on £75m investment Read More : PwC confirm major expansion with new Welsh HQ Commercial director Lesley Arnot said: “Our exports are doing really well for us and we are going from strength to strength in all the different countries that we’re dealing with and we’re adding a few more on the order book. We’re also enjoying success in the Middle East where we’ve launched across several different countries with two different retailers out there. I’m absolutely delighted with the way things are developing – and there’s much more to come as well. We have some really good foundations for expansion into other export markets.” Chief executive Robin Jones said: “Exports are really taking off and the team are doing an absolutely brilliant job, finding some great partners and distributors. Our target of increasing overseas sales to £10 million is very realistic with the way things are going in Australia, the Middle East and Europe. It’s really exciting. “We make really, really good quintessential British products and there’s clearly a growing appetite for them at home in the UK but also abroad “It’s wonderful to think you can buy Village Bakery products in so many places across the world, whether that’s Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore or across so much of mainland Europe. “This is all creating extra volume here so it feeds into sustaining existing jobs and creating new ones which all adds up to boosting the local economy here in Wrexham.” The company’s success with overseas sales has been recognised by the Welsh Government with a Welsh export champion validation.
Flooring firm Airea optimistic despite unexpected sales slowdown harming profits
Flooring maker Airea says an unexpected slowdown in sales in its second quarter has heavily impacted profits but that underlying performance is strong. The Ossett-based manufacturer said a strong start to the year had been followed by a tapering of sales in international markets hit by ongoing economic and geopolitical concerns, including the Middle East, and uncertainty around the UK General Election. Half year results published to the London Stock Exchange show revenue for the six months to the end of June was down 5.9% on the same period last year, at £9.3m and operating profits reduced from £836,000 to £215,000. The firm also recorded a pre-tax loss of £68,000. Chief executive Médéric Payne said that despite the challenging market conditions, the business had delivered a solid sales performance in the UK and Republic of Ireland. He said operating profit had also been impacted by non-recurring costs associated with major investment into Airea aimed at driving growth. Mr Payne described a more encouraging start to the third quarter with positive trading in July and August - including record performances across the two months - and a strong order book. Airea is now said to be focused on installation and commissioning of new equipment at its Ossett factory - a £5m programme of investment to make some of its processes automated using AI imagery and inspection technology. That work is expected to complete early next year with the firm having previously said it will bring energy efficiencies as well as productivity gains. The automated process - believed to be the first in the carpet tile business in Europe - will take away menial production line tasks for workers, allowing them to take up more engaging work, Mr Payne explained to BusinessLive. Airea is under way with "teaching" the AI to spot defects that will bring stringent quality checks which bosses believe will be market leading. Martin Toogood, non-executive chairman of Airea, said: "The year started well, with strong demand for our carbon-zero and low-carbon product ranges in the first quarter. The group then experienced an unforeseen slowdown in the second quarter, with international sales impacted by ongoing economic and geopolitical concerns. UK and ROI sales were less impacted, performing slightly ahead of the overall market trend. "The group had an encouraging start to the third quarter, with positive trading in July and August finishing with a strong order book. We anticipate continued improvement in trading during the second half with several new product launches scheduled and the group is trading in line with the board's recently revised expectations for the full year.
Savills reports significant profit growth but shares decline amid investment management struggles
Savills has reported a significant increase in profits, despite its investment management arm experiencing a decline due to high interest rates. In its latest financial results, the FTSE 250-listed company announced a 7% rise in revenue to £2.4bn for the year ended December 31, up from £2.24bn in 2023, as reported by City AM. Underlying profit before tax surged by 38% to £130.4m, while reported profit before tax jumped 59% to £88.3m. Underlying basic earnings per share also saw a 31% increase to 66.2p. However, Savills' investment management arm saw an 11% drop in revenue, which the company attributed to valuation adjustments during the year, stating that "the raising and deployment of capital inevitably more challenging during a period of interest rate and price volatility." Despite the positive financial results, Savills' share price plummeted by over 5% this morning, continuing a month-long decline. The share price has fallen by more than 15% since mid-February. Analysts at Peel Hunt remain optimistic about Savills' prospects, stating that the company "remains a quality business" and is "poised for a healthy recovery as commercial transition activity returns to normal." They maintained their target price of 1,100p and 'Add' rating, saying "We continue to like the business model and believe it remains an attractive investment," Mark Ridley, Chief Executive of Savills, commented: "Savills improved performance in 2024 reflects the robust earnings provided by our less transactional businesses together with the effect of our inherent operating leverage in the early recovery of transactional markets." "Most markets were in recovery as we entered 2025 and, whilst uncertainty continues, there remains the expectation of reductions in the cost of capital during the year."
Global energy firm picks Birmingham for new UK head office
A global energy firm has chosen Birmingham for its new UK head office. EcoFlow, which specialises in portable power and home energy services, is opening a new base on the Innovation Birmingham Campus where it plans to create 35 jobs. The company, which is headquartered in China and has teams in the US and Germany, will recruit for roles in fields such as engineering, customer service, marketing and business development. EcoFlow will join the West Midlands Global Growth Programme which is a funded initiative offering international companies support in the region. Email newsletters BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire. Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates. We will also send out 'Breaking News' emails for any stories which must be seen right away. LinkedIn For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here. It is delivered by the West Midlands Growth Company and Mayor Richard Parker who is taking part in a trade mission to China this week alongside other UK regional mayors. Ryan Xing, managing director of EcoFlow Europe, said: "The West Midlands is leading the UK's green industrial revolution, making it a stand-out destination for our new UK Headquarters. "This investment marks a significant milestone in EcoFlow's expansion, reinforcing our commitment to the UK market. "Our new home will provide us with convenient access to the region's ever-growing STEM talent pool and world-class R&D ecosystem, with unparalleled connectivity to potential partners across the UK and internationally. "We look forward to driving further investment into the region and supporting its journey towards a net-zero-carbon future as we embark on this next stage of EcoFlow's growth trajectory." Mr Parker added: "EcoFlow is a fast-growing company developing solar technology and smart energy solutions and now it is investing in the West Midlands. "This deal will deliver real benefits for local people - good jobs, greener power storage and a boost to our energy sector. Our region is open for business. "We're ready to welcome more forward-thinking investors who share our ambition to make the West Midlands a global leader in cutting-edge battery technology and clean energy." Innovation Birmingham is owned and operated by property group Bruntwood SciTech. Regional director Rob Valentine said: "The addition of EcoFlow to our Innovation Birmingham Campus marks a significant milestone for both the city's tech ecosystem and our shared commitment to a sustainable future. "As the first global technology unicorn to call Birmingham Knowledge Quarter home, their arrival not only reinforces the city's status as a leading tech hub in the UK but also aligns with our net zero vision.
Jones Village Bakery creating 50 new jobs on strong export growth
Flooring firm Airea optimistic despite unexpected sales slowdown harming profits
Savills reports significant profit growth but shares decline amid investment management struggles
Global energy firm picks Birmingham for new UK head office
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Drax makes bid for battery energy investor HEIT, valuing it at £200m
Power producer Drax has become the latest company to make a bid for battery storage investment firm Harmony Energy Income Trust (HEIT). The offer from Drax values HEIT at about £200m and is a 5% increase on a rival offer from Foresight that was tabled last week. In a joint update to shareholders on the London Stock Exchange, Drax said buying the investor would be complementary to its FlexGen portfolio, allowing it to capture the spread between overnight electricity prices and peaks as well as benefit from market volatility and add rapid and short duration capability. The acquisition would be made by a subsidiary company called Drax Bidco, with about 19.6% of HEIT's shareholder base having already indicated their support for the deal and entered into irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of it at an upcoming general meeting. HEIT Directors will recommend that shareholders back the scheme. Norman Crighton, non-executive chair of HEIT, said: "Since its launch in November 2021, HEIT has assembled a fully operational portfolio of eight, two-hour BESS projects totalling 790.8 MWh/395.4 MV, which have attracted a strong level of interest through both our recent asset sale process and now through a potential bid from Foresight and the recommended offer by Drax. "The HEIT board believes that value to HEIT shareholders will be maximised through the terms of the acquisition. Further, the HEIT board believes that the acquisition will provide HEIT shareholders with the opportunity to realise the value of their holdings, in cash, at an attractive value which is in excess of the reasonable medium-term prospects for HEIT on a standalone basis as a listed company." Will Gardiner, chief executive officer of Drax Group plc, said: "The acquisition is a significant investment in growing our FlexGen portfolio, supporting UK energy security and delivering a clean power system. The Drax directors believe that adding battery storage to our FlexGen portfolio enables us to provide even more secure power to the country when it is needed. "In combination with our long duration storage, flexible generation, demand side response capabilities and renewable generation from biomass, we will be able to supply 4.5GW of dispatchable generation to meet demand. As more intermittent renewable energy connects to the country's network, more dispatchable and reliable generation will be required to help keep the lights on when the wind isn't blowing or the sun isn't shining.
Tarmac sheds jobs as turnover at building materials giant hits £2bn
Tarmac, the building materials group, has reported a turnover of £2bn during its latest financial year, marking an increase from the previous year's £1.99bn. The Solihull-based company also saw a significant rise in pre-tax profit, climbing from £125.9m to £168.1m, according to accounts recently filed with Companies House, as reported by City AM. Despite this financial upturn, Tarmac experienced a reduction in workforce numbers, dropping from 2,782 to 2,621 employees over the year, which led to nearly £5m in redundancy costs. In light of its stronger financial performance, the firm reduced its interim dividend from £230m down to £127m. Owned by Dublin-headquartered CRH plc, an international conglomerate of diversified building materials businesses, Tarmac's origins date back to 1903, although it was established in its current form in March 2013 following the merger of Anglo American's Tarmac UK and Lafarge's UK operations. The company enjoyed a £141m boost, as stated by the board: "The improved performance can be predominantly attributed to the £141m dividends received in the year." The statement further noted: "Underlying market conditions were relatively stable in 2023 albeit with variable levels of growth seen across the industry, with expansion in the infrastructure sector offset by a marked decline in residential." The company noted: "Cost inflation continued to be a factor during the period, albeit at lower levels to what has been experienced during 2022." They added that the effect of this had been offset by an optimisation program which delivered "The company has mitigated the impacted of this through an optimisation programme delivering benefits through commercial, operational and logistics excellence." For the same financial year, building materials giant CRH plc reported revenues of $34.9bn (£26.8bn), a seven per cent increase. Chief executive Albert Manifold commented on the results: "2023 marked another record year of financial delivery for CRH, supported by good underlying demand across our key end-use markets, further pricing progress and the continued benefits of our differentiated, customer-focused strategy."
Advanced manufacturer Continental Diamond Tool in new larger factory investment creating 40 jobs
A fast-expanding precision engineering firm has announced a £4m expansion plan that will double the workforce by creating 40 new jobs and triple production. The investment by the American owners of Continental Diamond Tool (CDT) will include moving to a 30,000 sq ft factory that’s nearly three times the size of its current premises in Kinmel Bay and is less than half a mile away on the Tir Llwyd Industrial Estate. The move is being hailed by staff as the “perfect birthday present” for the North Wales operation which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, having been founded as Consort Precision Diamond in 1984, specialising in the manufacture of diamond-encrusted rotary dressers and grinding wheels. Read More: RWE submits plans for major N Wales wind farm Read More: Big Interview with Green Man founder Fiona Stewart The niche outfit – still one of only two similar companies in the UK – supplies a range of manufacturing sectors, including aerospace, automotive, medical and semi-conductors. Its products are used in Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft, as well as the Airbus range A330-A380 whose wings are made at the giant Airbus factory in Broughton in Flintshire. The firm was taken over and rebranded in 2018 by CDT which has its headquarters in New Haven, Indiana. News of the investment was delivered by company President Nick Viggiano, during his visit to the Kinmel Bay site, along with Shane Vardaman, CDT’s president of sales. The larger factory will enable the company to increase the range of products they make, adding several new types of high precision grinding wheels. Mr Viggiano said: “Things have worked out even better than I thought and the investment is a real big vote of confidence in the workforce here because they have a similar work ethic and there’s good camaraderie between everyone. “We expect to be three times the size we are in a few years’ time because there is a very big market for the products we are going to bring over here. “We expect a swift ramp-up. Given our extensive expertise with these products in the States, we can help the team over here to quickly hit the ground running. “The new building is like a blank canvas so we can set everything up exactly the way we want, so we’re very excited about it.” American managing director, Jeff Wirth, who said: “This investment has been a long time coming, with six years of preparation and team building leading up to this moment. Our Kinmel Bay team, known for their rotary dressers, has already started producing electro-plated products on a small scale. “Moving to the new building that’s nearly three times the size will give us the space to expedite that process. Additionally, we plan to manufacture two vitrified products and a hybrid product in the new space. “This is a big step and it goes hand in hand with the expansion we’re doing in the United States. “It comes down to Nick having a belief in the people and the team. “This is going to put rocket boosters under the company to continue with the growth trajectory. “With everything consolidated under one roof, we will get to lay it out to maximise efficiency instead of having to work around the nooks and crannies of the current building. “The accommodation will also be improved for the employees with nice fresh locker rooms and a cafeteria. “Nick has a supercharged, can do mentality and we expect to be up and running in the new building in the first quarter of next year.” Finance manager Michaela Lawton said: “We have a solid leadership team here and a fantastic workforce that has the full backing of our American owners and it’s clear that the team here has proved itself worthy of this massive investment. “It’s going to be a process over the next few years, with recruitment, upskilling and training and a lot of capital expenditure on fitting out the new factory with the specialist equipment that we need. “We are aiming to follow in the footsteps of our American counterparts who have seen huge growth over the last 10 years. They’ve gone from our current size to employing over 200 people and we want to follow the same path.” Justin Hughes, the production manager in Kinmel Bay, has worked at the Kinmel Bay site for 17 years and is the son of the retired technical director, Peter Hughes, who was among the founders of Consort Precision Diamond. He said: “The takeover has been a marriage made in business heaven because the operations on both sides of the Atlantic dovetail perfectly with each other.
Port Talbot welding skills academy look to retrain hundreds of former steelworkers
A Port Talbot welding skills academy is aiming to retrain hundreds of former Tata steelworks and provide the platform to eventually create up to 100 new jobs. UKSE Steel Enterprise has provided a six-figure loan to engineering contractor JES to significantly increasing the capacity of its training centre. The firm has been a key contractor to the Tata’s steelworks in Port Talbot where nearly 2,000 jobs have been lost after the ending of blast furnace steelmaking. Tata is investing in a new electric arc furnace that will make steel from scrap and will open in three years time as part of a £1.2bn investment, which includes £500m in funding from the UK Government. Read More: Renewables sector criticise Welsh Government over planning decision delays Read More : The latest equity and acquisition deals in Wales The JES skills academy plans to eventually have 80 training bays where fabrication, welding and pipework will be taught offering new career paths to people leaving the steelworks and to others who want to follow this career. The company is expanding its centre, and over the next year has made a commitment to offer training to up to 300 former Tata workers, as well as a range of other candidate to set them on fresh career paths. In the longer term, the firm is aiming to diversify into new markets including oil and gas, petrochemical, renewables and nuclear energy and expand creating between 50 to 100 skilled and semi-skilled jobs based around the workforce trained at the skills academy. The academy, launched last year to support JES apprentices, has secured backing from the the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Head of the academy, Sam Owen. “Our professional team of tutors will operate a range of courses for which we leverage all possible funding support from government and other agencies. “We are not just about training, but about enabling people to step into work when they leave us.” JES director Justin Johnson said that demand for welding and associated skills was extremely high across the UK. He added: "Research by the Engineering and Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) demonstrates a UK-wide shortage in this area and demand will almost certainly increase in years to come. “Locally, the new Celtic Freeport in Port Talbot is planned to be a source of jobs fabricating on and offshore wind turbines and other structures in the drive towards energy efficiency and net zero.” The need to bring younger people into the fabrication sector has been highlighted by ECITB research, which shows that 40% of the workforce is over the age of 50. Mr Johnson said: “This is very concerning and underlines the need for training, so that knowledge is passed onto a new generation.” On the funding from UKSE Mr Johnson said: “The investment will be the platform to expand and we are hoping to add between 50 to 100 roles in years to come as we diversify and develop. This investment by UKSE is a major boost for us and we are very appreciative of their confidence in us by supporting the academy in the way they are.” UKSE makes strategic investments in Welsh and UK companies which show the potential to grow and create jobs and prosperity. It provides loan and equity packages up to £1 million and UKSE estimates it has supported 83,000 jobs around the UK since it was established 50 years ago. Howard Thompson, regional executive for UKSE in Wales said the need to build a quality, skilled supply chain was paramount. He added: “There is a UK wide shortage of welders. Almost every document published in connection with economic need and strategic economic planning by the Welsh Government and by local authorities across South Wales, highlights the skills shortage in welding and fabrication as an area of concern worthy of attention and investment. “Welding is set to be one of energy transitions most prized skills and we are delighted to be supporting JES in their journey and wish them every success.”
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