News: Leading engineering group eyes 90,000 sq ft Rotherham building

A Sheffield-based specialist engineering business that delivers world-beating iconic projects looks to be taking on large premises in Rotherham, planning documents show.

Previously known as SCX Special Projects, the Kinetic Solutions Group (KSG) provides bespoke engineered solutions to complex mechanical handling and lifting challenges for customers in the nuclear, defence, aviation and moving architecture sectors.

With its current headquarters close to Meadowhall in Sheffield, planning applications have now been submitted relating to a soon-to-be vacant industrial building in Templeborough, Rotherham.

The applications are for new signage and the installation of new windows at Vector House on Centurion Business Park.

The site was previously home to Newburgh Engineering before it was acquired out of administration in 2019 by Vector X-Cel Ltd. It is part of the X-Cel Group which has been expanding on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham since 2012 and recently secured a £35m funding package from HSBC UK for a manager buyout (MBO).

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The plans state "The site is currently occupied by an engineering company who are relocating to a new facility. The property is to have new owners and the new company (KSG - Kinetic Solutions Group) need to display their own company branding."

In 2021 X-Cel acquired the 90,000 sq ft premises in a £7m deal.

With a market-leading position in the UK, KSG has worked on a number of high profile projects. It designed and built the retractable roofs for Wimbledon’s Centre Court and No. 1 Court. For the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London, it designed and installed the world’s first dividing retractable football pitch.

The group also builds and supports complex mechanical handling solutions for the UK nuclear decommissioning program while, in the aviation sector, it has solved challenges in the lifting and movement of complex engine and airframe structures for Rolls Royce, BAE and Bombardier.

Elysian Capital, a private equity firm based in London, acquired the company through an MBO in 2020 before Denley Hydraulics was added to the group the next year.

The group now operates through four separate business divisions; SCX - Mass Handling Systems, ARX - Kinetic Architecture, ISX Service and Maintenance and DHX Hydraulic systems. Each is distinct in their product/service offering and has their own teams and management structure. This devolved focus allows for targeted growth and profitability strategies within each division.

For the year ending March 2025, the group had a turnover of £35.5m, up from £28.9m in 2024, and EBITDA (earnings before tax) of £4.4m, up from £3.2m in the previous year.

KSG website

Images: X-Cel / KSG

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News: Championship relegation for Rotherham United takes £10.5m off turnover

Rotherham United Football Club has released a statement over its financial results for the year ended June 2025 - the season back in League One following relegation from The Championship.

For the second consecutive year, the proactive move comes before the results are published with Companies House.

A statement from The Millers said: "Following our relegation from the Sky Bet Championship at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, the club has faced various challenges, the headline of which has undoubtedly been its turnover being reduced to £10.5m – a figure that stood at £19.2m in 2024.

"Among other aspects, this number was reflective of lower central distributions and player trading income associated with our position in the third tier.

"Despite the necessary adjustments being made to ensure a competitive first team playing budget for the 2024/25 campaign, the Club reported a loss before tax of £4.65m as we adapted to operating at League One level and the revenue streams associated with it."

The loss of £4.65m is larger than previous years. Having made a loss before tax of £1.1m in the year when the club beat the odds to stay in the second tier, in 23/24 the overall operating losses increased to £1.7m in the relegation year, despite a rise in income.

The club said it had taken measures to reduce costs and stabilise operations, with a clear focus on sustainability and responsible financial management.

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The statement added: "It has been well-documented throughout the football world that costs associated with the running of clubs continue to rise, but we remain committed to our promise that any and all decisions reached by our Chairman and Board must be made with the sustainability and long-term future of Rotherham United at the forefront.

"Our Commercial department continues to successfully support the generation of revenue and currently operates among the most proficient in Sky Bet League One, whilst also maintaining the integrity of the club’s core values through its involvement in the charitable sector and ongoing work alongside companies with principles that mirror our own.

"As we look to the future, our focus remains centred on rebuilding with purpose, striving to be better in every aspect within the club and delivering a product to supporters both on and off the pitch that they can be proud of."

Published accounts have highlighted the importance of sponsors, primarily the fellow subsidiary company, ASD Lighting PLC, who have continued to provide £1m in sponsorship.

Rothbiz reported at the start of the year that the latest accounts of ASD Lighting PLC had "included within debtors was £9,467,811 (2024: £5,204,737) due from Rotherham United Football Club (RUFC) Limited. The outstanding balance is repayable on demand."

Just last week, the Millers completed a rights issue which has converted £550,005 of existing debt into equity.

It also announced that Richard Stewart, managing director of ASD and vice chairman at Rotherham United, has seen his shareholding in the holding company, ASD Lighting Holdings Ltd, increase from 5% to 100%.

The son of ASD founder and RUFC chairman, Tony Stewart, Richard "therefore indirectly holds 97.06% of the shares in Rotherham United Football Club."

The club said that the changes were administrative in nature with Tony remaining as chairman of Rotherham United and Richard as vice chairman.

RUFC website

Images: RUFC

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News: Don Valley Corridor - What's in it for Rotherham?

Partners have formally launched a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire based around the Don Valley Corridor.

Rothbiz reported first last week that the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) is proposed for a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

Bringing together the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets."

Proponents say that: "By unlocking brownfield sites and investing in transport, energy and flood resilience infrastructure, the Don Valley Corridor will drive inclusive, sustainable, long-term regional growth."

Headline figures are that, through coordinated development, the 30 year transformation will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes with a £1.3bn uplift in GVA.

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The Don Valley Corridor will evolve into a connected innovation and industry corridor.

In Rotherham, the main area for development is the Rotherham Gateway Innovation Campus: A new rail-linked innovation hub around the future mainline station, supporting engineering, low carbon, materials and digital sectors.

At Templeborough the remaining land for development will see the area reshaped into a modern green energy hub and employment zone.

With the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham due to complete next year, the focus will be on expanding the ethos of the park over the border into Sheffield and enabling 2,000 jobs and 1.5m sq ft of new R&D space at Runway Park.

The programme will address transport issues (including the proposed new mainline and tram train stop at Parkgate), flood resilience and brownfield land which has been held back by contamination, low land values and viability constraints.

The corridor has capacity for 10,500 new homes with specific delivery targets being a new garden community at Bassingthorpe in Rotherham, with green spaces, new schools, health facilities and strong active-travel and rail links to Rotherham town centre, another target area where new housing can be enabled by infrastructure investment and long-term delivery partnerships focused on town centre renewal.

Added to the regeneration projects is a pledge to ensure that the economic growth is inclusive, ensuring local people shape development and have access to opportunities.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: “For Rotherham, this really is about forging ahead with the next chapter of our borough’s growth, building on the lessons of the AMP as we build on the strengths of our heritage and the opportunities of new industries, infrastructure and investment. You only have to look at our plans for Rotherham Gateway to see the scale of that ambition - a new mainline station, new employment space, and the chance to bring thousands of good‑quality jobs right onto our doorstep.

“And of course, you can already see the impact of this investment at Waverley and the Advanced Manufacturing Park. What was once industrial land is now home to world‑leading employers, cutting‑edge research, and thousands of new homes - a real example of how these projects can transform a community and create the skilled jobs of the future.

“By expanding the available business and employment space, including through the proposed Templeborough Business Zone, improving the quality of life through, for example, the work already happening in the town centre, exploiting the great transport links already in place, you can see how the corridor through to associated projects in Sheffield fits together; generating wealth well into the twenty first century, just as it did in the past. We’re investing in Rotherham’s future in a way that people will really feel - more homes, better connections, and more chances for local people to build the careers they want.”

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government recently committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

Don Valley Corridor website

Images: RMBC / AHR

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News: Welding technology centre opens on Rotherham’s Advanced Manufacturing Park

Welding technology pioneer Fronius UK has opened a “Technical Competence Centre,” at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

Fronius is an Austrian-based, family-owned global leader founded in 1945, specializing in high-quality welding technology, photovoltaics, and battery charging. It had around 6,700 employees worldwide at the end of 2024 with 37 international subsidiaries and a network of sales partners in more than 60 countries.

The new centre on the AMP offers customers the opportunity for bespoke welding trials, demonstrations, training, servicing and hands-on technical problem solving. A dedicated team of Sales, Service Engineers and Application Engineers will be on hand to take care of customers’ needs across the region. The expansion strengthens support for customers nationwide and complements the company’s existing sites in Milton Keynes and Kilmarnock.

Daniel Kastner, Managing Director of Fronius UK, said: “Our goal is simple: being as close as possible to our customers allows us to increase on-site time to truly understand their needs and support them as well as we possibly can. This new site allows us to respond faster, collaborate more closely, and stand alongside manufacturers by rising together to tackle their daily welding challenges - true to our motto connected by welding, united by passion!”

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As a leading European manufacturer of state-of-the-art welding technology, Fronius delivers advanced products and comprehensive services spanning manual gas shielded arc welding, high-performance robotic systems, user-friendly cobot welding solutions, and fully automated welding solutions tailored to customer requirements.

With over 1,700 active patents, Fronius stands as a global innovation leader, consistently setting groundbreaking standards in welding technology. Its portfolio includes the high end, multiprocess iWave TIG power source, the high performance TPS/i TWIN series, plug-and-play cobot solutions and the pioneering Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) process—enabling thermal joining of galvanised steel and aluminium, as well as precise welding of aluminium sheets as thin as 0.3 mm. The range is further strengthened by the new Fronius Fortis, a versatile, high quality manual MIG/MAG system that combines robust engineering with intuitive operation.

Renowned for exceptional arc stability, repeatability, and reliability, Fronius equipment is trusted across demanding sectors such as automotive, aerospace, nuclear, commercial vehicle manufacturing, and heavy industry.

Kastner added: "As manufacturers face increasing pressures - from skilled labour shortages to ever stricter quality and sustainability standards - we want to make welding easier, safer and more consistent for everyone. That’s why we place such strong emphasis on intuitive, user-friendly operation, perfect seam quality and long-term sustainability in all our high end welding solutions. Every Fronius product is designed for durability, repairability and recyclability, made entirely in Europe, and rigorously tested to perform reliably for decades.”

Phil Brown, Welding Application Engineer based at the new Centre adds, “We are proud to support customers from across this innovative manufacturing hub and welcome them to our new facility at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Park. This is a place where worldleading ideas take shape, and we’re excited to contribute to the British industrial achievements that will undoubtedly be made here in the years ahead.”

Fronius UK website

Images: Fronius

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News: Private sector developer brought in for next phase of Rotherham town centre housing

Rotherham Council is appointing a private sector developer for the next phase of large scale house-building in the town centre.

The Rotherham town centre masterplan of 2017 confirmed the need for more housing and leisure uses as a way to develop economic vitality, bringing more life, activity and spending back into the town centre and moving away from the traditional retail market. It also highlighted the need for derelict and long-term vacant sites to be brought into public ownership.

The aim is "to bring forward new development, diversify the town centre offer and establish a new residential community" with the latest plans leading "to the development of a pipeline of detailed and deliverable schemes which align with market demand and secure the Council’s ambitions for high quality, legacy developments."

Having acquired a number of strategic sites, the authority has been assessing ways to progress the regeneration projects.

When the Council acquired the warehouse and yard on Sheffield Road that is currently home to SIG Roofing Rotherham, Rothbiz reported on efforts to complete the development of plans to RIBA Stage 1 (the preparation and brief stage) for the next phase of major housing in the town centre.

Now a decision has been made to appoint a preferred developer using a closed tender process.

The company securing the contract has not yet been named, neither have the key sites, the quantum of development or total value, but the tender for feasibility works is valued at £397,442.

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A council update reads: "The Strategic Sites programme aims to bring forward high-quality mixed-use development across the Council’s strategic town centre sites, creating a new community supported by integrated services, leisure uses and commercial opportunities. Its objectives include securing a long term positive legacy for the town centre, accelerating progress on complex brownfield sites, attracting credible private sector partners, and addressing viability challenges in a low value market through targeted public sector intervention.

"The Council has made significant progress in acquiring, demolishing and preparing a portfolio of stalled, underused and derelict brownfield sites for redevelopment. The intention is to create new communities that increase activity in the town centre and support its long term sustainability through additional housing, improved public realm, enhanced leisure opportunities and new commercial space delivered through public and private investment.

"To achieve the Council’s aims and establish clear viability and deliverability from the outset, an experienced private sector developer is required to prepare Strategic Regeneration Plans for each core site, with potential to progress into delivery subject to defined gateways.

"The Council has completed a compliant closed tender process following approval under the Sub Scheme of Delegation to allocate the required funding. The tender evaluation has identified the preferred contractor, and awarding the contract is now necessary to enable the works to proceed."

Rothbiz reported in 2024 on the potential sites and funding for redevelopment. Council-owned sites include the cleared site of burnt out buildings on Corporation Street, sites on Sheffield Road for Riverside Residential Quarter Phase 2, the site of the former magistrates court at The Statutes and the site of the former Primark on High Street.

Last week the Government announced a £2.3bn City Investment Fund that will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. Documents show that it is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

The Council's most recent major housing development was the £30m+ "Trilogy Collection" - Westgate Riverside, Wellgate Place and Millfold Rise - that has seen 171 new homes built in partnership with Willmott Dixon. However, a previous tender exercise for the £6m scheme on Corporation Street received no interest, likely due to the smaller size of the scheme.

Images: RMBC / AHR

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