rotherham business news: January 2008

Thursday, January 31, 2008

News: Ant invests in technology to enhance Rotherham operation

Ant Marketing, the Sheffield-based independent telemarketing company, has invested more than £40,000 in its information technology infrastructure and appointed an experienced IT specialist. Jonathan Liversidge has joined Ant as IT director specifically to implement and develop new systems across the company's sites in Broomhill, Sheaf Quay and Rotherham. Fifty new jobs are being created by the company, after they won a contract to sell Tiscali subsidiary Pipex Homecall's telephone and broadband packages to domestic customers nationwide

Ant Marketing website

Marketing Services Talk website

News: Funding boost for Rotherham recycling facility

Roy Hatfield Ltd, the industrial waste recycling firm of Rotherham, have been awarded £65,000 of funding from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to increase their plasterboard recycling operation. The funding has enabled the company to make a series of improvements and additions to its facilities and introduce two significant new pieces of reprocessing equipment. This will enable the major facility to process an additional 85,000 metric tons of waste plasterboard over the next five years. Mark Hatfield of Roy Hatfield Ltd, said: "As far as we are aware our plant is now the largest independent plasterboard recycling facility in the UK."
Roy Hatfield Ltd website
Recycling Today article
Let's Recycle article

News: Rotherham student wins design competition

A graphic design student from Rotherham College of Art and Technology (RCAT) has beaten off competition from three South Yorkshire colleges to win the second Business Link South Yorkshire Design Works for Students award. 20 year old, Shane McGarrigle, from Mexborough used his final year project based on promoting an event, business or service in South Yorkshire. Shane is quoted in The Star "The images I created used photography of architecture in the Victoria Quays with illustrations on top - kind of like graffiti with strong colours and blends." The competition aims to encourage the design students to become familiar with the constraints of working on a commercial basis. Shane's prize is an Apple iBook and work experience with South Yorkshire design company, Iris Associates.
Some of Shane's work
RCAT website
Digital Yorkshire article
The Star article
Rotherham

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

News: £3.5m scheme launched in Rotherham

The latest Rotherham Renaissance town-centre transformation project, the Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) has been launched. As reported last week, the £3.5m scheme aims to breathe new life into the town's High Street by funding essential repair work, improving shop frontages and transforming currently unused space into residential apartments. Council leader and Renaissance Town Team chairman Cllr Roger Stone said “An economically strong and attractive High Street is the pinnacle of a successful town – and it is because of this that the money is being concentrated in this area.”

Rotherham Renaissance website

Rotherham Chamber article

News: Rotherham students celebrate enterprise award

School children from the Thrybergh area of Rotherham visited the House of Commons this week to represent their Education Action Zone (EAZ) and celebrate it being the first in Britain to achieve an Excellence in Enterprise Education award. With the enterprise education programme, Rotherham Ready, the cluster of schools have been working together to put enterprise at the centre of their learning to raise pupils’ aspirations and provide real links between school and the world of work. The awards were designed by Warwick Centre of Education and Industry for individual schools but the work of schools in Thrybergh mean they become the EAZ to be recognised.
Rotherham Ready website
The Star article
Rotherham

News: Corus learns from Flood experience

Rotherham based Corus Engineering Steels is developing new forms of flood defences after the damage to the Stocksbridge plant from last year's floods cost around £8m to fix. Also based partly on experience from the Netherlands, CES is is considering another use for the giant concrete blocks it is making at Roundwood in Rotherham as part of a major investment to improve scrap segregation for its Aldwarke plant. The blocks can be built into a wall and covered in plastic, acting as a flood defence and could be turned into a spin-off business as the blocks can be easily transported and put together.
Corus website
The Star article

News: Plans for Waverley taking shape

John Dunshea of property experts, Atisreal has given an update on the plans for the development of the UK Coal site at Waverley in Rotherham. Details of the restoration, landscaping and maintenance have been approved and are likely to be complete by May 2009. These include the creation of lakes of around 50 acres to address surface water drainage. The park and ride proposals are progressing along with the Bus Rapid Transport system which aims to improve the quality and frequency of public transport between Sheffield and Rotherham. An outline planning application is expected this year for the mixed-use sustainable community which includes plans for 4,000 homes. The site also includes the Advanced Manufacturing Park which is gathering further momentum and a scheme to create a 600,000 sq ft government campus was announced at the end of last year.
Star Business article

Monday, January 28, 2008

News: Rotherham comes out on top in latest research

One of the headline findings in Objective 1’s latest research is the success of Rotherham regarding employment and growth in growth sectors such as Advanced Manufacturing and Metals and the Creative & Digital Industries. Rotherham’s workforce includes 19,000 working in the growth clusters (over 18%). Not only is this the highest proportion of any of the South Yorkshire districts, it is also well above the national average (14%). Business development manager Tim O’Connell, of Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), the council’s regeneration arm, said: “Rotherham has been working hard to regenerate the entire area with business such as Boeing – a partner of the University of Sheffield in the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre –Toyoda Gosei, TWI (The Welding Institute) and Cti (Castings Technology International) providing great opportunities for people to develop.”
Read the report here
RiDO website

News: Business Link sites chosen

Following initial rumours that Rotherham was set to miss out on a regional office, Business Link have now confirmed that Rotherham will have its own "key location centre." Y&H IDB, who secured the £29m contract to deliver business support schemes in Yorkshire & Humber from Yorkshire Forward from April 1, announced the 11 locations along with the location of their headquarters, at Capitol Park in Barnsley.
Yorkshire Post article
The Business Desk article
Rotherham

News: More jobs at Rotherham contact centre

Contact centre company Telecom Service Centres is planning to create more jobs and expand its Rotherham operation in the Dearne Valley. On announcing that the company boosted profits from £3 million to £5.1 million in the latest financial results, Cheif Executive, Ken Hills is quoted in the Star "Our Dearne Valley operation has again performed very well throughout last year and we look forward to expanding the business there this year and recruiting more staff." TSC, which merged with Indian rival Hero Group last year, is now embarking on a worldwide search for new customers to join a blue chip client list that includes Vodafone, T-Mobile, HSBC and Hewlett Packard.

The Star article

The Scotsman article

Friday, January 25, 2008

News: Capgemini secures IT outsourcing deal

Workplace assessment and psychometric testing group SHL has signed a six-year IT outsourcing deal worth £23m with Capgemini UK. The deal involves utilising Capgemini's secure data centre in Bristol. User and technical support will be moved to Capgemini’s service centres in Katowice, Poland and Mumbai, India respectively, with back-up support from Rotherham in Yorkshire. Capgemini secured the deal by creating the best mix of resources from their global network of facilities.
Capgemini website
Computerworld UK article

News: Rotherham is the distribution centre for Haribo in the UK

Consultants Total Logistics have reviewed the supply chain of German sweet manufacturer Haribo and backed their choice of contract logistics partner, NYK Logistics. From Haribo’s UK manufacturing plant in Pontefract, the sweets are distributed through NYK's distribution centre in Rotherham. The 70,000 sq ft centre on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate handles over 100,000 pallet movements per year.
NYK Logistics (UK) website
Logistics Manager article

News: Alloys firm invests in Rotherham headquarters

Energy Alloys UK is set for further expansion with the purchase of four new lathes at their Rotherham base. The expanding firm supplies high quality specialist steels and nickel alloys to the oil and gas industry and is targeting new business in the Far East, Middle East, and Eastern Europe. The funding is from Lombard, the asset finance arm of RBS and the business is expecting to boost sales by £6m. The company already provides more than £60m of steel internationally and is a subsidiary of Energy Alloys LLC based in Houston, Texas which has grown to a £300m operation with 350 employees and offices in five countries.
Energy Alloys website
The Business Desk article
The Star article

Thursday, January 24, 2008

News: Renaissance art to be displayed in Rotherham

Rotherham Renaissance has teamed up with Rotherham Ready and Rotherham Youth Enterprise to ask young people in schools and colleges across Rotherham to put their personal mark on the large scale regeneration taking place in the town centre. Images created by Rotherham's young people will focus on themes around the new retail and office developments, the public space by the river and the new leisure facilities, and will be printed on the hoardings surrounding All Saints’ Building.
Rotherham Renaissance website
Rotherham Ready website

News: Winning design chosen for Parkway Iconic Bridge

The design for a new footbridge crossing the Parkway on the border between Rotherham and Sheffield has been chosen following a design competition that produced entries from 14 different countries. Winning designer, Tim Norlund, a young architect from Denmark, based his bridge on a simple ring design. Work to build the £2 million bridge will begin this autumn, and the new landmark should be completed by summer 2009. It will be built jointly by Sheffield and Rotherham Councils and will be funded by Yorkshire Forward.

The Star article

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

News: Rotherham business causes chuckle

New Rotheham start-up business, Me To You Homes Estate Agency caused a stir with the choice of name due to the similarities to the catchphrase of Rotherham comedy duo, The Chuckle Brothers. The brothers are quoted in The Mirror "We've got no connection with the business, but I've had people coming up saying, 'Is it me?' and Paul's had them saying, 'Is it you?'. Company director Jonathan Birks said he was pleased the Chuckle Brothers could see the funny side. The business is based in the RiDO operated Moorgate Crofts Business Centre in the town centre.

Me To You website

Moorgate Crofts website

The Star article

The Mirror article

News: Symphony Group invest in Rotherham factory

Symphony, the UK's largest privately-owned provider of fitted kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture, have invested in a new compressed air system for their Rotherham factory. The highly efficient Airchannel CompAir unit is installed in the Templeborough plant which produces some 600 worktops cut to size each day, a total of around 150,000 per year.

Symphony website

Manufacturing Talk article

News: Westbond takeover complete

Carpet tile manufacturer, Westbond, has been sold to Dundee-based Bonar Floors for £10.9 million. Based at the Cortonwood Business Park on the Rotherham/Barnsley border, the firm specialises in working with architects, flooring contractors and clients to create tailor-made flooring. Last year it made profits of £600,000 and had gross assets of £3.8 million. Grant Thorton led the deal with DLA Piper providing legal advice. Richard May of DLA is quoted in The Star as stating that "The deal is yet another sign of how healthy the South Yorkshire market is."

Westbond website

The Star article

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

News: £3.5m regeneration scheme to launch in Rotherham

The £3.5m Townscape Heritage Initiative is set to launch next week to help regenerate Rotherham's High Street. The scheme includes grants to property owners for the repair and restoration of some building frontages, including new shop fronts and traditional sash windows. Specific listed buildings such as the former Three Cranes Inn and the derelict George Wright Building wil be among those to benefit from the project. As part of Rotherham Renaissance, £35m of new developments are taking shape in the nearby Westgate area aimed at putting new retail, commercial and residential life into the town centre.
Rotherham Renaissance website
The Star article

News: Exporting Business Advice Event in Rotherham

A free event on successful exporting is taking place at Hellaby Hall Hotel in Rotherham on February 5th. Organised by the South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), local businesses will be able to meet the export experts to gain information on the Passport to Export scheme for new exporters, market research, legal advice, language and cultural barriers, export finance and HM Revenue and Customs.

Monday, January 21, 2008

News: Bromley wins European bob skeleton championship

Britain's Kristan Bromley has won his third European bob skeleton championship in five years by placing second to American Zach Lund at the World Cup event in Cesana, Italy. Bromley becomes European Champion at the same time as being well placed in the World Cup standings. With three races to go he is currently second, just seven points behind leader Eric Bernotas. Bromley places a lot of his success down to his technologically advanced equipment. Bromley's company, Ice-Sport-Tech and the Pro Race Team develop innovative sport products from their headquarters within the ITC at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham.
Ice-Sport-Tech website
BBC online article
The Star article

News: City region bid to create 75,000 jobs

Following the launch of the Sheffield Economic Masterplan, a new development forum has been launched to boost the economies of South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire by £3.8 billion and create 75,000 jobs by 2025. Funding for the Sheffield City Region Partnership is split between all 11 councils involved (including Rotherham), plus Yorkshire Forward and East Midlands development agencies. Sylvia Yates, former director of South Yorkshire Objective One programme has been appointed executive director. The forum aims to create better links to Robin Hood airport, increase the number of trains between London and Sheffield, improve the marketing of the region and help attract further businesses to industrial sites such as the AMP.
The Star article

News: Rebranding for Rotherham based firm

Rotherham based Solaglas Windowcare has rebranded to bring itself closer to its parent company, the international industrial group Saint-Gobain. The French-owned subsidiary was acquired in 2002 and has seen year on year growth since then. The £21m turnover specialist glazing company employs 400 staff at their head office and factory in Hellaby.
Sologlas website
The Business Desk article

News: Sheffield Economic Masterplan

Creative Sheffield launched the Sheffield Economic Masterplan last week, setting out their aims for the region. Key targets for 2020 include 30,000 new jobs, average salaries of £25k, improved transport links, a new brand for Sheffield, new business districts and improved collaboration with Manchester and Leeds. The strong links between Rotherham and Sheffield are highlighted with an emphasis on improving connectivity to reinforce and maximise the Sheffield-Rotherham economic zone.

Creative Sheffield website

The Star article

News: Rotherham firm wins five-star contract

Rotherham company RJD Engineering has won a multi-million pound contract to supply 1300 tonnes of structural steelwork for the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza Hotel, being constructed next to Waterloo Station in London. The engineering and fabrication specialist employs 70 people at their Hellaby factory and has secured a number of contracts for hotels in London as well as supplying structural steelwork for Ponds Forge, Supertram bridges and the refurbished Veolia power station.
RJD website
The Star article

News: Minister cites South Yorkshire's economic growth in speech

In a recent speech on strengthening regional economies, the Minister of State for Competitiveness, Stephen Timms MP uses the economic growth in South Yorkshire as an example of how the North/South divide debate and comparisons with London don't give a rounded picture of how English regions are performing. The minister instead uses comparisons with similar regions around Europe. "For example, from 1995 to 2004, growth in South Yorkshire was almost double that of Dusseldorf in Germany or Lorraine in France."
Full speech online

Friday, January 18, 2008

News: Record commercial property values expected in Rotherham

Roger Haworth of property agency M3 discusses land values and rental levels and the work of the firm's Sheffield office in the Sheffield Telegraph. He identifies that Dinnington in Rotherham has proved increasing popular and now commands rental levels reaching £6.25 per sq ft. He also highlights the potential in the extension of the Sheffield Business Park and the new developments on the UK Coal site at Waverley in Rotherham.
Sheffield Telegraph article

News: SBP's successful car share scheme

Sheffield Business Park, which overlaps the Sheffield/Rotherham border near to Junctions 33 & 34 of the M1, is running a successful car sharing scheme as part of their Travel Plan. With 2,000 people commuting to what is the largest business park in the region, the plan has been drawn up by manager Rebecca Wyatt and supported by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and Rotherham and Sheffield Councils.

Sheffield Business Park website

Sheffield Telegraph article

News: New appointment at Swinden House

Nichola Stork has been appointed as the Conference Centre Manager at Swinden House in Rotherham. Nichola will develop new opportunities for holding conferences, training sessions, presentations, seminars and other corporate events at the Grade II Listed Victorian building off Moorgate.

Swinden House website

Sheffield Telegraph article

Thursday, January 17, 2008

News: Rotherham's WFO Group Invest for Growth

Rotherham based training, printing and events company WFO Group has invested in a new print machine to expand their print capabilities. Using an Invest for Growth grant from Objective 1 the company has purchased a digital Xerox printing press known as Xena to sit alongside their traditional printing presses.

WFO Group website

News: UK's Flagship Manufacturing Incubator celebrates first Anniversary

Over 70 guests gathered this week at the Innovation Technology Centre (ITC) on Rotherham’s Advanced Manufacturing Park at a special event on the theme of ‘Renaissance in Manufacturing’ held to mark the Centre’s first anniversary. The ITC has attracted 14 companies employing over 90 people. The growing businesses have created 40 new jobs, raised £6.5 million of private sector investment and filed over 20 patents. Speakers on the day praised the centre and its operators, Oxford Innovation as well as the success of the region in helping to nurture rapid growth, hi-tech businesses.

Oxford Innovation website

The Star article

News: Rotherham hotel boss set to leave

The manager of one of Rotherham's best hotels is set to leave his role at Hellaby Hall. A prominant figure in the Rotherham business scene, John Silker is set to become president of the Chamber of Commerce (Barnsley and Rotherham) this year. The hotel is set for £1m of improvements.
Hellaby Hall website
Rotherham Record article

News: Venture Xtreme's Rotherham project to feature in design show

An exhibition on the design of future building projects including those along the River Thames will also showcase the designs for Baca Architects' forthcoming extreme sports centre, Venture Xtreme, to be sited at the YES! Project adjacent to Rother Valley Country Park in Rotherham. Organised by New London Architecture, the exhibition runs from 10th January to 23rd February.
Venture Xtreme website
Design Week article

News: Further details of Rotherham's Factory of the Future

Eco Heat Pumps Ltd are to provide the ground source heat system for the £20m Factory of the Future at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham. The second phase of the University of Sheffield's Advanced Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing will house the latest manufacturing and production equipment and is built with the environment in mind. The advanced system will draw on natural heat from 100m below the factory to provide the Factory building's underfloor heating and hot water systems.
AMP website
Creative Sheffield article

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

News: Dinnington business units proving popular

The £4.5m Redwood Court Business Park in Dinnington held an official opening last week and 3 companies have already signed up. Typhoon CCA Ltd, BananaShoes and Brookhouse Gas Services Ltd will join a number of successful companies in the regeneration area around the former Dinnington colliery. The project was financed by Northern Trust with £1m from the Objective 1 ERDF programme.

Redwood Court brochure
Dinnington & Maltby Guardian article
The Star article

News: Royal visit for Rotherham businesses

Prince Edward was in Rotherham today where he visited The Music Factory in Parkgate to meet with students from Clifton School to look at The Music Factory's innovative software, u-explore. The Prince also visited ASD Lighting on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate and the pioneering health centre, Breathing Space.
Music Factory website
ASD Lighting website
Rotherham Chamber article
The Star article

News: Commercial land prices continue to increase in region

South Yorkshire is seeing an increase in commercial land prices with some vacant sites fetching 20% above asking price. Rotherham commercial estate agents Merryweathers highlight that small plots of brownfield land in locations near to transport links such as the M1 have been sold in record time. Andrew Nettleton, business investment manager at Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO), agrees that owners in South Yorkshire should prepare themselves for a commercial boom. "Investors recognise Rotherham is an improving area and geared up for real growth - with plenty of evidence to prove it."
Merryweathers website
RiDO website
The Star article
Yorkshire Post article

News: Purex International gets new recruit

Rotherham based Purex International have appointed Bob Pitchford into a sales and marketing position. The well established and hugely successful company manufacture fume extraction and health and safety products in Rotherham.
Purex website
Processing Talk article

News: Rotherham firm in software link up

Rotherham software specialist IMS has forged links with Surrey-based manufacturing systems developer DBO Services, to offer manufacturing companies stock control and scheduling software. IMS is bringing together its supply and demand Uplanit software with DBO’s RightStock.

News: TCN set to unviel plans for Rotherham town centre

After securing a 5 year exclusivity agreement with Rotherham Council, TCN UK are set to submit their masterplan for town centre sites to local planners. Utilising 26 acres of vacant land following the relocation of scattered council buildings, the £192m plans include space for retail, office and leisure facilities including a Cultural Quarter on Forge Island. Work on the ambitious project is set to begin towards the end of 2008, with completion of all sites expected in 2013.
Yorkshire Post article

News: The Junction gets ready to launch in Rotherham

The Rotherham Work and Skills Board is aiming to help people from disadvantaged communities take full advantage of economic growth across the borough and move from benefit dependency into work by launching the Junction. From a town centre location the project will enable people to access mainstream provision and innovative life-skills training. The aim is to meet the recruitment needs of local employers. Through projects such as this, Rotherham now has the highest employment rate and lowest number of benefit claimants in South Yorkshire.
Rotherham Chamber article

Friday, January 4, 2008

News: Rotherham Ready launch "Make £5 Blossom" Scheme

Rotherham businesses are being given the chance to invest in the futures of young people - by getting involved with the innovative, ‘Make £5 Blossom’ scheme. Rotherham Ready are asking for enthusiastic support from local business people to help pupils practice their enterprise skills as they develop business plans and launch ideas or products in a bid to make the most of £5.

Rotherham Ready website

News: National press for Rotherham's AESSEAL

In two articles regarding the state of Britain's manufacturing industry, Rotherham based designer and manufacturer of mechanical seals, AES Engineering discuss that they haven't faced problems with the national credit crunch and are begining a a £7 million extension to the AESSeal factory in Rotherham. The production unit will provide room for growth over the next three years and turnover is set to double from £72 million by 2012.
AESSEAL website
Financial Times article
The Times article

Thursday, January 3, 2008

News: Rotherham retail park wins awards

Parkgate Shopping Park has scooped two awards at the British Land CSR Awards, being recognised in the “communities” section for its “Better Parkgate, Better Rotherham” community programme and also being honoured in the overall excellence award for its response to the serious flood that hit last summer.

Parkgate Shopping website

South Yorkshire Times article

News: Super-fast broadband set for Rotherham

Thales, the French defence and engineering group, has been selected as the preferred bidder to build and manage a super-fast “next generation” fibre broadband network in Britain. It will serve 1.3 million homes across Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham, as well as 40,000 small businesses and is set to provide speeds of 50mbps. Yorkshire Forward believes the Digital Region project could lure small businesses to the area. It will be funded by public money, partly from the European Union, and private investment.

Digital Region website

Times Online article

News: Environmental initiatives at Beatson Clark

Rotherham glass container manufacturer, Beatson Clark, has introduced a range of initiatives all designed to reduce its environmental impact. Beatson Clark has recently submitted a planning application to Rotherham Council to build its own recycling facility at its Rotherham factory and is aiming to use at least 60% recycled material in the manufacture of amber glass and 40% for white flint.
Beatson Clark website

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