News: Rotherham expansion continues as Cepac set to take on closed print premises

A state-of-the-art print facility in Rotherham has closed, according to reports in the trade media.

Near neighbours have already submitted plans to expand into the vacated unit.

Vanacomm, which produced millions of catalogues, brochures and media inserts every week from its Manvers base, has ceased trading according to an article in Printweek.

Vanacomm took on the 120,000 sq ft premises of Garnett Dickinson, which was sold out of administration in a pre-pack deal in 2017 to GD Web Offset Limited, a vehicle incorporated for the purposes of the acquisition.

A statement from Vanacomm to Printweek said: “After careful consideration of the current economic climate, the substantial costs of energy contracts and the continued downturn in the UK web offset market, the shareholders of Vanacomm Ltd have come to the conclusion that the company should cease trading with immediate effect.

“The company is not entering into any form of liquidation and with wages paid up to date to the end of last week, we will continue to collect out the book debts with the intention of paying out all creditors.”

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Plans are already in place that could see Cepac, one of the UK’s leading innovators of performance packaging, expand onto Brookfields Park.

Rothbiz reported in September last year on Cepac announcing a £53m investment that will expand its key operations at Manvers.

Founded in 1999, Cepac has established one of the largest and most technologically advanced corrugated packaging plants in the world in Rotherham. Part of the HSA group, it also has operations in Darlington, Doncaster and Rawcliffe.

The "Rotherham 2" project will see investment in infrastructure, equipment and new jobs.

The first phase focuses on "Rotherham 1" - the existing facility that manufactures packaging and where certain machinery is now coming towards the end of its useful life. Plans have recently been approved for an extension of 4,000 sq ft and a proposed mezzanine of 11,400 sq ft to the existing building which will facilitate a wider expansion of the facility.

New plans explain that Cepac are in the process of formally purchasing the Vanacomm building to the south.

The application, drawn up by agents at DPP Planning, show a proposed 7,600 sq ft link building connecting the existing Cepac manufacturing building and Vanacomm building.

The plans state: "Due to increasing demands in the cardboard manufactory industry, the applicants are looking to increase their capacities. The link will send manufactured materials along production line machinery to the Vanacomm building to allow for final packaging and distribution of cardboard products.

"Linking the Vanacomm building to Cepac's current warehouse will facilitate the expansion and modernisation of Cepac's existing production facility which will allow Cepac to safeguard existing local jobs and the company's market position as a leading cardboard manufacturer."

Future plans would involve a new sprinkler tank and pump house and a new substation and switch room.

Cepac website

Images: Google Maps

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News: AMRC launches new scale-up programme

The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has launched AMRC Scale-up, a programme designed to help high-growth deep tech companies scale manufacturing in defence, aerospace and energy.

The AMRC has grown to become a world leader in manufacturing excellence, part of the national High Value Manufacturing Catapult network of research centres. With facilities in Rotherham and Sheffield it has more than 500 highly qualified researchers and engineers working on the manufacturing needs of the future, from composites to castings, additive manufacturing to machining.

AMRC Scale-up is built for Series A and later-stage companies with established market traction that are preparing for scaled production. Unlike early-stage accelerators, the programme focuses on companies moving toward industrial production rather than product validation.

Matt Farnsworth, commercial director at the AMRC, said: "The UK has never lacked innovation, but the challenge has always been anchoring that brilliance into long-term industrial growth. AMRC Scale-up provides the technical runway for the UK’s most promising deep tech companies to bridge the gap between prototype and global supply chain. This is about more than growth; it’s about securing sovereign capability in the sectors that will define the next century."

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Engaging with AMRC engineers, participating companies will validate production systems capable of industrial scale, strengthen supply chain and certification readiness and embed manufacturability into growth and investment strategy.

Rushabh Shah, commercialisation manager at the AMRC said: "Scaling a manufacturing process is a distinct engineering challenge that requires a different mindset than product development. By embedding our AMRC engineers directly into these high-growth companies, we aren't just giving advice – we are validating production systems and de-risking the leap to industrial volume and capital investment.”

The AMRC says that it will select ten companies to take part in the programme with applications for the first cohort open now.

Rothbiz reported last year on SYMCA's funding for FerretWorks - a Yorkshire slant on SkunkWorks - with the approach at the AMRC formed to incubate high risk/high reward ideas away from the typical business KPIs and constraints, creating a space where it’s OK to fail, as well as putting money into the groups so they can make space for thinking.

AMRC website

Images: AMRC

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News: Rotherham Council set to acquire more town centre properties

Rotherham Council is set to acquire further property in the town centre - in the area designated for the new Leisure and Cultural Quarter.

With the council leading on the £47m development of Forge Island as a vital catalyst project for the town centre, the authority has been snapping up properties in the Corporation Street area.

The Rotherham Town Investment Plan of 2021 picked out "a cluster of underused buildings which will provide leisure and residential uses on a smaller scale catering for independent providers and contributing to a 24-hour presence in the town centre."

Acquisitions include the Riverside Precinct, the former Mecca Bingo building, the building vacated by Wilko, and the burnt-out buildings on the opposite side of Corporation Street. All but the grade II listed Mecca building have been demolished.

Now, with work underway on the new Riverside Gardens and street scene improvements, the council has published a decision approving the acquisition of property interests at Corporation Street.

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The properties have not been named but minutes from Rotherham's Town Deal board from 2025 show that the council had an offer accepted on the Ring Shop and make reference to 22 Corporation Street.

Rothbiz reported in 2023 that The Ring Shop on Corporation Street, also known as Smith Brothers, was closing after 127 years at the centre of Rotherham.

The council's negotiations to acquire The Ring Shop property at 26 - 28 Corporation Street were slowed by it going through probate due to the sad death of the owner, Anthony Swann in 2022.

Vacant buildings on Corporation Street have long been a target for investment after Rotherham was named on the list of successful "town deals" which saw £31.6m from the Government used to revamp areas of Rotherham town centre as well as Templeborough and Eastwood.

The vacant bank buildings stick out whilst the improvements go on around them. Rotherham Council acquired Lloyds at 32-34 Corporation Street back in 2006 under previous regeneration plans and in the case of the former NatWest Bank next door, private sector owners have not brought forward a suitable scheme and turned down a bid from the council to buy the building.

The Council had hoped the private sector owner would lead on the scheme and was prepared to sell the former Lloyds bank for just £1 in 2022.

A council report states: "The preferred option is to acquire all properties by agreement.

"Consideration has been given to entering into partnership arrangements with landowners rather than taking full control of the land. In progressing negotiations this approach will be considered on a project-by-project basis, however in many cases, and as understood through early consultation, landowners do not always wish to bring forward schemes fitting with masterplan ambitions, or development is not in the core business of the landowners.

"Do nothing is not a recommended option, considering the Council’s ambitious plans for economic growth and regeneration in the Borough.

"Acquisition of each property could be brought forward on an individual basis, however, considering the quantity of land and property for acquisition and the timeframe it is considered that seeking approvals on a site-by-site basis would introduce a significant risk to the programme, in terms of readiness for timely acquisitions and delivery of the programme."

The cost of acquiring the properties has not been disclosed.

Images: Google Maps / RMBC

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News: Events centre plan for former Rotherham offices

A vacant business centre on a massive steelworks site in Rotherham is being brought back into use.

Built for British Steel in the 1970s and later used as an enterprise data centre and office accommodation, the 41,138 sq ft building on Aldwarke Lane was previously home to Capgemini, a French multinational professional services and business consulting corporation, that relocated its Rotherham office to Sheffield in 2018.

Part of Aldwarke Business Centre first came back into use in 2023 as the home of Unity Boxing - a community interest company that has developed a space for local communities to engage in boxing.

Now work is underway to create function space and a conference suite in another part of the site.

Plans from Aldwarke Developments Ltd were approved in 2023 for a change of use enabling 10,700 sq ft of floor space at first floor level in the eastern part of the building to go from office use to a mixed use comprising of office use during the day and function room during other times.

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In approving the plans Rotherham Council planners said that: "Whilst the proposed use does not strictly accord with the local plan policies [for industrial use], the building has a history of use as an office and the extended use into the evening as a function room is not considered to have any impact on the daytime viability of the site. As such it is considered to be acceptable in principle."

A planner's report confirmed that "the conference suite is to be used entirely as a private event hire venue for assembly and leisure purposes. The space will be available to hire for people to host parties and celebrations."

Given that public transport options in the area don't exist and there are only 75 parking spaces, the council's highways team had originally raised concerns. But having heard that the use is expected to be limited entirely to evenings and weekends – i.e., non-peak hours, highways officers concluded that there should not be any adverse impact on the highway.

The planning permission came with a condition that functions could only take place between 6pm and midnight Monday to Friday, and noon to midnight on Saturday and Sunday.

With work now underway to the exterior, Aldwarke Developments Ltd has recently had plans approved for changes to the entrance of the car park at the prominent site.

Images: Google Maps / CPR

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News: Forging ahead: a million more visits in Rotherham town centre

Rotherham town centre has attracted a million more visits since 2024, according to the leader of the council.

Following the opening of Forge Island in summer 2024, Muse reported that footfall across Rotherham town centre during 2024 was 10% higher than the previous year.

Forge Island is the town centre's new landmark leisure destination delivered by Rotherham Council in partnership with Muse. The £47m development includes an 8-screen boutique cinema operated by The Arc Cinema, a 69-roomed Travelodge Hotel as well as food outlets, Heavenly Desserts, Sygnature Dish and Vetro Lounge.

2024 also included the massive homecoming gig for The Reytons which drew a crowd of approximately 20,000 fans to Clifton Park on the edge of the town centre.

With an apparent continued increase in footfall, the council leader has also pointed to the impact of local authority initiatives.

Rothbiz reported last month that free parking in council-run car parks in Rotherham town centre would continue aiming to "support local businesses, boost footfall, and encourage residents to shop locally."

The council's budget also includes over £500,000 to continue to put on a range of events where audiences for town centre events have increased by 13% year-on-year from 2021 to 2025.

In addition, December saw the launch of a dedicated council team designed to make Rotherham’s high streets safer and more welcoming. The £570,000 investment provides extra eyes and ears on the ground, tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting residents, businesses and visitors on the town centre and other towns in the borough.

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Speaking at a recent meeting of the full council, Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "None of these things are separate elements. If you look at the town centre, what people perhaps don't realise, is that over the last two years, footfall in the town centre is up by a million visits - a million more visits over the course of those years.

"That's in part of course because of the regeneration activity that has taken place. That's in part because of the council events. That's in part because we have put the resources in place in to the Street Safe team to make it a better and safer environment."

Revitalising the town centre is a central part of the council's 2025 - 2030 plan, called "Forging Ahead." Long term measures of success include an increase in footfall in the town centre, a decrease in the percentage of vacant units in the town centre and an increase in the proportion of people optimistic about the future of Rotherham town centre.

Although the progress of the plan is monitored, and updates provided to councillors, the data behind these measures has yet to be published.

When data was made public, it showed that yearly footfall figures for Rotherham town centre have been in decline since 2012. From just over 26 million in that year, reducing by ten million to 16 million in 2019, even before the pandemic.

The way footfall is measured varies. Commercial property agents at nearby Parkgate Shopping promote that the popular retail destination attracts eight million visitors per year. Agents for Meadowhall say that the Sheffield shopping centre has 24 million visitors a year.

The authority's efforts to boost footfall are set to continue with new budgets including £304,000 to introduce three new Business Support Officers "to engage with businesses in the town centre areas, helping them to flourish" and a further £666,655 for the Shop Unit Business Grant Project that has been oversubscribed. £60,000 has been allocated for Rotherham Town Centre Markets, which is currently undergoing a revamp as part of a £40m regeneration scheme.

Another regeneration initiative designed to boost footfall is Rotherham Council's role in bringing more housing into the town centre.

Private sector developers and investors have also progressed housing plans with the conversion of a number of buildings. Privately funded regeneration schemes have also taken place in the lesiure sector - another key target for generating footfall. The opening of the Empire Theatre following a £1.8m restoration scheme being a prime example.

Images: RMBC / Muse

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