News: Ashleigh wins Young Apprentice

Rotherham apprentice, Ashleigh Porter-Exley, has won this year's BBC's Young Apprentice.

Described by Lord Sugar as a "real old fashion grafter" 17-year-old Ashleigh saw 11 fellow candidates fired in the boardroom over the course of the series and picked up the £25,000 first prize.

The Wath entrepreneur currently has two jobs and has been working as an apprentice with letting agents Martin & Co Rotherham since May. She is also currently studying at college for her NVQ Level 2 in Business and Admin as well as taking an evening accountancy course.

She said that she wants a few days off after winning but will back at work, but didn't want to give too much away about what she may do with the prize money.

In the final episode, Ashleigh, again took on the role of project manager in a task to create a new brand of sportswear with global potential. Her team won the task convincingly.

Ashleigh Porter-Exley, winner of BBC Young Apprentice 2012, said: "I'm ecstatic. It's not really sunk in yet, so I think I need to sleep on it for a few days.

"I'm not the typical candidate – if bookies did put a bet on it then I'd probably be a million to one. I'm just a normal person from a normal background with normal parents. We go camping for our holidays and don't go on luxury flights away and things. So it's quite strange to have the opportunity that I've been given.

"I doubted myself throughout because of where I am from.


People always used to judge me on how I speak because I'm quite broad and Northern. It's not about where you come from or how you speak, it's where you're going and what you can achieve."

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News: Buy in bulk to help feed Africa

Bulk Meats, a new online enterprise that aims to deliver the widest choice of lean, high-quality fresh meats at wholesale prices, has launched in Rotherham.

Based at RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre, the new venture offers low-priced, high-quality fresh meat to people in the UK whilst also providing meals to starving children in Africa.


Every time the company sells a larger, "bulk" pack of fresh meat, of 1kg upwards, that people can then freeze and store at homes, they are donating a meal to starving African children via the United Nation's World Food Program.

Serial entrepreneur Gavin Edley, 25, has joined with Anthony Nettleship, 27 to launch the new venture and the Rotherham pair are targeting hard pressed families as well as body-builders, fitness fanatics and other athletes that rely on a high protein diet.

"We wanted to establish a business that tackled the financial issues people currently face over here, by offering competitively-priced, fresh, quality meat – a big part of most people's grocery bills" said Edley, "But also to give something to those less fortunate than people in the UK too."

Nettleship added: "With the current economic conditions, it's easy for people to become overly-focused on their own problems, and forget about those that are less fortunate.

"We wanted to develop a business model that helped people with their problems in the UK, but also maintained consciousness for those in much worse conditions, and try to help those people too."

The pair expect to feed over 7,000 starving African children within their first year of trading, with more meals being provided as the company grows and expands.

Bulk Meats website

Images: Bulk Meats

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News: Patchwork Pig receives kickstart funding

Rotherham gift shop, Patchwork Pig, received a kickstart grant to enable the town centre store to open in time for Christmas.

Charlotte Schothern, 21, from central Rotherham, opened Patchwork Pig on the High Street in October with help from funding she received from UK Steel's Kickstart Fund, a business finance scheme that provides grants of up to £500 to start-up businesses to purchase essential equipment and or services that can get them trading.

UK Steel Enterprise (UKSE) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Steel. Its main investment fund provides business finance in amounts from £25,000 up to £750,000 to companies in South Yorkshire and other areas affected by changes in the steel industry.

Charlotte, said: "A lot of town centres are full of chain stores offering the same thing – I wanted to provide people with something different. There are similar things to what I have in the town but none match them. People are coming to me because they know they can find something that not everyone else will have for special occasions."

Charlotte says that if it was not for the funding from UK Steel Enterprise she could not have started trading: "I used the cash from UK Steel to pay for my legal fees and to get my trademark sorted. Both are expensive but necessary and without the lawyers looking at my lease I could not have opened. The grant was really helpful and I'm very grateful to UK Steel for its support."

Allan Wood, Regional Executive for UK Steel Enterprise added: "Charlotte clearly loves what she is doing and importantly has researched her market. Her shop offers something very different which is essential when it comes to retail. We wish her all the best for the future and expect to see her become a successful Rotherham entrepreneur."

UK Steel Enterprise has set aside finance from its Kickstart Fund to target 30 young people in Rotherham with small scale funding that can make all the difference when it comes to starting a new business.

Patchwork Pig Facebook page

UKSE website

Images: UKSE

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News: Dormer prepares for centenary

Dormer Tools, which started life as The Sheffield Twist Drill Co. in 1913 will be marking its 100 years with a programme of key activities to celebrate their on-going contribution to the global engineering industry.

Now based in state-of-the-art headquarters on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, Dormer is one of the world's foremost producers of solid carbide and high speed steel rotary cutting tools and now has subsidiaries in 25 countries.

The landmark celebration coincides with two significant Sheffield anniversaries - 200 years since the birth of Sir Henry Bessemer, who revolutionised the manufacture of steel in South Yorkshire, and the centenary of Harry Brearley's discovery of stainless steel.

Simon Winstanley, marketing co-ordinator at Dormer UK, said: "The last 100 years has witnessed previously unimaginable advances in the technological and scientific world: the mass production of motor vehicles, powered flight and space travel, the birth of the nuclear age and the development of the telecommunications industry.

"Dormer's products have helped to write the history of this industrial progress and it is here, in the millions upon millions of components that have been drilled, reamed, cut, threaded or otherwise shaped by the company's tools, that the real history of Dormer lies.

"There is a certain pride, too, in the fact that our centenary falls at a time when Sheffield is celebrating the achievements of two industrial giants, Bessemer and Brearley."

Back in 1950, the company was the first drill manufacturer in Europe to introduce the Steam Temper treatment, with its characteristic blue finish, to their products. This treatment proved highly successful and received widespread acclaim from the engineering industry.

As long as 46 years ago, Dormer was showing its initiative for embracing emerging technologies when it acquired a new computer, leased from IBM, at a cost of £135,000. It needed its own air conditioned room and performed 30,000 calculations per second.

And in 1984, the company was one of the first in the industry to make it possible for customers to electronically order products on line at a time when the internet was virtually unknown outside of the academic world.

Dormer Tools website

Images: Dormer Tools

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News: LEP calls on businesses to outline their growth plans

The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is calling on Sheffield City Region business leaders to express their interest in being part of their £25m Regional Growth Fund programme.

Businesses with robust plans for growth will have until the end of January 2013 to complete an online form to express their interest in being part of the programme.

The programme secured £25m of the government's Regional Growth Fund (RGF) in October, one of the largest successful programme bids in round three of government fund.

Called "Unlocking Business Investment" the programme will unlock over £100m of direct business investment, leading to further private sector growth across the Sheffield City Region. The footprint of this growth is hoped to be approximately 1,800 sustainable, private sector jobs.

The businesses supported by the programme will mainly be in the advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.

James Newman, chairman of the LEP, said: "This funding will help scores of businesses from across the City Region to achieve their ambitious growth plans.

"Business leaders have until the end of January to let us know about how much they need and what their projects can achieve with the funding."This programme will demonstrate how a small amount of funding can unlock significantly more direct private sector investment – leading to growth and sustainable, private sector employment."

The LEP bid currently comprises of 27 companies, which put forward plans for growth as part of the bidding process. A further £15m is available for suitable projects.

New projects will be assessed on a competitive basis with the criteria for assessment based on the number of new sustainable, private sector jobs created, private sector funding, additionality, eligibility, deliverability and value for money.

Sheffield City Region LEP website

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News: AMRC engineers nuts about snowboarding

Innovative biocomposite materials are heading for the slopes, after engineers at the AMRC Composite Centre in Rotherham produced a prototype snowboard from flax, cashew nut husks and recycled plastic.

The aerospace and automotive sectors are increasingly using composite materials for their combination of low weight and high strength, which can provide significant improvements in fuel efficiency.

These materials are usually made up of carbon or glass fibres embedded in an epoxy resin derived from petrochemicals. These materials are energy-intensive to manufacture, and are not easily recyclable or biodegradable when they reach the end of their lives.

Replacing some or all of these raw materials with sustainable alternatives can significantly improve the environmental performance of composites manufacturing.

The AMRC Composite Centre at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, started working with biocomposites as part of E-light, a collaborative European project to investigate new lightweight materials for electric vehicles. The team investigated the use of fibres from flax and bamboo, as well as an epoxy resin derived from cashew nut husks which would normally go to waste, and produced two fairing panels for the AMRC's Mantra lorry as showpieces.

Some of the young researchers at the AMRC Composite Centre then started looking at the potential for these materials in an area of special personal interest: snowboarding. The team launched an internal project which became known as SUSC: Snowboard Using Sustainable Composites.

Craig Atkins, development engineer at the AMRC Composite Centre, said: "Snowboards need to be stiff, strong and light, so are typically made from glass fibre or carbon fibre composite with a wooden core.

"We decided to take a look at replacing these with more sustainable materials. Flax is a relatively cheap bio-material, with good mechanical properties, and a very good candidate for use in snowboards."

The team produced two boards from flax fibres embedded in a resin containing 30 per cent of cashew shell epoxy. The core was made from recycled PET foam, derived from old plastic bottles and other waste.

One board is currently being put through its paces by one of the AMRC team, Alistair Murray, during a sabbatical in the Canadian mountains. The other is on show at the centre, having drawn interest from businesses at the Composites Engineering Show at NEC in November as well as from the extreme sports community.

The AMRC team continues to develop biocomposites for a range of transport applications.

Dr Tim Swait, research engineer at The AMRC, said: "There's a number of areas we need to investigate before these biocomposites can go into commercial production.

"We will research how we can increase the concentration of fibres to give material properties that are at least a match for synthetic composites, and how we design the lay-up for a biocomposite component to optimise its performance.

"We're also investigating other techniques to improve the energy efficiency of composites manufacturing, such as microwave curing, and whether these can be applied to biomaterials."

AMRC website

Images: AMRC

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News: Rotherham festival organisers looking for partners

Organisers of the Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival are looking to grab their partners for next year's cowboy-themed event.

Set to return to the Magna Science Adventure Centre between Feb 27 – March 2 2013, the festival promises to offer a western spectacular with more than 250 real ales including brews from all four corners of Yorkshire as well as a special selection chosen from the wild west of England.

Alongside the largest collection of real ale, ciders, wines and foreign beers in the North of England, the festival promises a packed line up of music entertainment, bringing together some of the most popular music acts from the region.

Funds raised through sponsorship will be used to replace damaged and worn out equipment needed to run the popular event, as well as helping to fund stage equipment and entertainment and helping to fund the range of drinks available throughout the festival.

Sponsor packages begin at just £40 for a small programme advert and beer-loving businesses can sponsor their favourite tipple for just £100. For companies hoping to stand out from the crowd, a full range of additional Sponsorship packages, including brochure advertising in the programme to the bars, stages and even having their logo on the festival glass are also available.

This year's festival saw more than 11,000 visitors take part in the popular event, which helped to raise £40,000 for local charities Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, The Rotherham Hospice, Weston Park Cancer Hospital and the Magna Educational trust.

Festival organiser, Steve Burns said: "The Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival is a true community event in every sense, bringing together beer enthusiasts and music lovers from across South Yorkshire and beyond. We're urging local businesses to throw their support behind the popular event, helping to ensure that next year's event is just as memorable as ever.

"The sponsor packages available are designed to suit businesses of all shapes and sizes, from fledgling start-up companies to major employers within South Yorkshire. Funds generated through sponsorship provides vital working capital for the festival, allowing beers and entertainment to be purchased, as well as replacing some of the damaged and outdated equipment which is coming towards the end of its life."

Established in 1992, the Rotherham Real Ale and Music festival is the largest real ale and music festival in the north of England. Since moving from Oakwood School to Magna in 2011, the festival has helped to raise in excess of £75,000 in support of local good causes.

Any company that signs up before December 31 will benefit from a 10% discount.

Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival website

Images: magnarealale.co.uk

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News: Comet and Staples close Rotherham stores

National retailers, Comet and Staples have both pulled the plug on their Rotherham outlets.

Electrical chain, Comet appointed administrators in November and as Deloitte failed to find a buyer, the Rotherham store at Parkgate Shopping closed this week. It was amongst the last of the 236 stores to do so.

Chris Farrington, joint administrator, said: "Despite significant efforts to find a buyer for all or parts of the business as a going concern, the administrators did not receive an acceptable offer and so unfortunately it has become necessary to close the remaining stores.

"Although we had discussions with a number of interested parties, the substantial working capital requirements to fund the business was a significant concern for these parties and was a key factor in preventing a deal being reached. We will now consider the options with regards other assets of the Company, including the brand and website.

"We wish to express our gratitude for the professionalism and dedication of all employees across the store network, head office and other support functions during what has clearly been a difficult period for them.

"We have put in place a series of support measures to help redundant workers find new employment, including establishing contact with more than 35 prospective employers and setting up a LinkedIn network through which many of these companies are advertising positions."

A special website will be launched and employment fairs around the country will take place in the New Year.

Big names including JJB Sports, HMV, Birthdays, Peacocks and Shutopia have left the retail park this year. Frankie & Benny's recently opened and Sports Direct has moved into a larger unit. The large Kiddicare unit is currently being fitted out.

At the Foundry Retail Park on Great Eastern Way at Parkgate, closing down signs have gone up at the Staples office products store.

In September, the American chain said that it would restructure its international operations, including plans to close 45 stores in Europe by the end of March 2013.

Staples is increasing investment in online and mobile capabilities to provide business customers with a differentiated multi-channel shopping experience.

Parkgate Shopping website

Images: Staples

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News: Xeros secures export order for "virtually waterless" washing machine

Xeros Ltd, the Rotherham-based innovator of a "virtually waterless" laundry cleaning system, has signed up its first hotel in the US.

The Leeds University spin-out, based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), has developed a patented system using a unique method of special polymer beads rather than the usual large amounts of fresh water to clean clothes. Instead a small amount of water is added to loosen clothing stains and activate the beads.

The 518-room Hyatt Regency Reston in Virginia has installed the eco-friendly commercial scale Xeros washing machine to expertly launder the guest room and dining room linens and bath towels using less water, less chemicals and less energy than traditional methods.

Xeros' patented technology has been developed over the past 30 years by textile chemistry professor Stephen Burkinshaw. The Xeros system was installed at a first site in America in August, at Sterling Linen Services, a high-quality linen processing and rental service for area hotels, hospitals and restaurants, in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Bill Westwater, chief executive officer of Xeros Ltd, said: "We're excited to work with a premier hotel such as the Hyatt Regency Reston. Our revolutionary cleaning system will provide the Hyatt with dramatic savings in laundry and utility costs per year, as well as superior cleaning for guest comfort and convenience."

Xeros is expecting further interest with an official roll-out to the commercial laundry marketplace at the 2013 Clean Show in New Orleans.

A household sized machine is in development for launch in 2014.

Backed by funding from investors and research grants, work on a washing system of comparable size, appearance and cost to conventional front loading machines that are used in millions of homes across the country is producing results. When compared to these machines, independent analysis by URS has estimated that a Xeros domestic system would slash energy use by half and reduce water consumption by up to 80 per cent. It would also cut CO2 emissions per wash by 25 per cent.

Xeros website

Images: reston.hyatt.com

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News: HEROtsc extends contact centre contract

HEROtsc has been re-appointed by Office Depot to handle all of their customer service engagement for the Viking brand.

The contract will continue to be operated out of the firm's contact centres in Rothesay, Scotland and Dearne Valley in Rotherham.


Andy Doig, chief operating officer at HEROtsc, said: "HEROtsc's re-appointment by Office Depot is a huge testament to the hard work and excellent service our people in Rothesay and Dearne Valley have been delivering daily for Office Depot.

"Importantly the quality and professionalism of the staff in the two centres we have working on this account is of the highest standard and the centres have performed outstandingly since Office Depot first appointed us.

"We look forward to that level of service and delivery continuing as we go forward."

When HEROtsc took over the former T-Mobile site at Manvers in 2004, staff numbers had dwindled to less than 300. Today the thriving Dearne Valley centre has over 830 employees working for leading trade names such as Vodafone and E.ON – with an ongoing recruitment and training programme to bring new jobs to the area.

Telecom Service Centres (TSC), one of Scotland's fastest-growing contact centre companies, was acquired in a £40m deal by Indian counterpart Hero Ites (part of the Hero Group) in 2007.

HEROtsc website

Images: HEROtsc

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News: Rotherham M1 managed motorway scheme set to start in 2013

A £150m transport scheme to reduce congestion on the M1 motorway in Rotherham is scheduled to start in 2013, the Highways Agency has said.

A ten mile stretch of the M1 between junctions 32 (south of Sheffield and Rotherham) and 35a (north of Sheffield and Rotherham) is set to benefit from a project to convert the hard shoulder to an extra traffic lane in both directions and variable mandatory speed limits used to manage traffic speeds and help reduce congestion.

Consultation on the proposed managed motorway scheme has begun with councils, businesses and other interested parties asked for their views on the innovative scheme.

Managed motorway schemes deliver benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening and with less impact on the environment during construction.

Similar schemes are in place on the M42 and M6, in the West Midlands.

The stretch of motorway in South Yorkshire carries more than 110,000 vehicles each day and suffers from congestion and delay at peak times.

A number of cameras, information signs and signals on gantries will be installed as part of the improvement scheme. Signs and signals will still be used to inform drivers of conditions on the network and when variable speed limits are in place.

Construction of the managed motorway scheme is scheduled to start between January and March 2013, subject to completion of statutory processes, and is expected to be completed in summer 2015. Before any work starts, the Highways Agency will be holding public information exhibitions.

In the recent Autumn Statement, a managed motorway scheme on the M1 between junction 28 to 31 was named in a £95m government initiative to test an accelerated approach to the delivery of major road schemes.

Highways Agency website

Images: Highways Agency

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News: Stafforce achieves national recognition for Apprenticeship Training Academy

Rotherham's fast growing national specialist recruiter, Stafforce, has been awarded Apprenticeship Training Academy status by the National Apprenticeship Service.

Stafforce will now be able to offer a dedicated Apprenticeship recruitment and management service, by matching and placing apprentices with appropriate "host" employers. This is a major benefit to employers, as they will be able to appoint apprentices who have been pre-vetted for their suitability and it also offers them more flexibility than if they were to directly employ an apprentice.

Paul Brammer, director of services at Stafforce, said: "This is great news for both apprentices and employers. Young people will be able to gain real life skills and an industry-recognised qualification, as well as the best chance possible of securing full time employment on completion of their Apprenticeship.

"For employers, it means our professional recruitment service will match the right people to the right opportunities and they can gain all of the benefits from Apprenticeships whilst minimising their risk."

The Stafforce Apprenticeship Academy is part of the broader Stafforce Personnel business and will operate in its first year throughout the Yorkshire and Humber region, specialising in food and drink, manufacturing, engineering and the oil and gas sector. It will work with businesss of all sizes.

Apprentices will be screened and interviewed to check suitability and then matched to the employer opportunities which are most suitable. This will draw on Stafforce's expertise and background with over 35 years' experience in the recruitment industry.

The academy is already working with 77 apprentices and 16 host employers, including Total and PX Ltd.

Rebecca Brimble, HRC team leader at Total said: "Total Lindsey Oil Refinery has been working in partnership with the Stafforce ATA as part of our process Apprenticeship programme.

"The Stafforce ATA enables us to support the apprenticeship programme in the local area and develop skills for our industry. The professional service that the Stafforce ATA provides means we can sponsor apprentices and work with the ATA for the recruitment, provision of payroll, contracts and overall general support for the apprentices.

"In 2012 we recruited three of the apprentices that had been through the Apprenticeship programme. We are also proud to say that some of our apprentices have won local awards for outstanding work during their Apprenticeship. The ATA model is a success for our business and provides us with the support to train people, combining the Catch Facility and bringing them onto our site."

Stafforce website

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News: Mock trial date set for New Year

A mock trial is taking place in Rotherham next month to help make businesses aware of their responsibilities, and also the consequences of their actions, when it comes to using vehicles for work.

The South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership is organising a free of charge, half day event for local businesses at the Lifewise Centre, Hellaby, on Wednesday January 9.

The Lifewise Centre is used by South Yorkshire Police and partners as an interactive learning centre to deliver safety advice.

Part of the event is a realistic mock trial, which gives attendees a taste of what appearing in court actually feels like. After the sentencing of the company or individual, there is the opportunity for an open session of questions and answers to the panel of specialists.

Paul Costelloe, head of compliance at Sheffield based company, Fulcrum, attended a previous event earlier this year. He said: "I attended the first of these events held in 2012, it was very informative and thought provoking. My colleague and I certainly took something away from the event, which was to think about what we are doing in addressing driving for work, an area of work that is probably our highest risk business activity."

Mike Stanley, South Yorkshire Theme Lead for driving at work added: "Every single business uses vehicles for work, whether they are directors’ cars, company provided cars and vans, through to employees using their own vehicles to assist with their activity.

"There are a lot of misconceptions about what businesses should and should not do in respect to managing their occupational road risk. This important event will make businesses aware of their responsibilities and also the consequences of their actions and how it could affect their business, staff and family.

"At this unique event attendees will have the opportunity to take advantage of specialist help to ensure their business has correct policies, management strategies and training/staff development programmes in place."

Places at the event are strictly limited and are available on a first come, first served basis. To book your free place/s or to make further enquiries please contact Mike Stanley by telephone on 0114 273 6165 or by email at michael.stanley@sheffield.gov.uk

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News: Maltby to be mothballed by March

The board of Hargreaves Services plc, the UK's leading supplier of solid fuels, has confirmed that Maltby Colliery in Rotherham will be mothballed.

Maltby occupies a site of 500 acres and employs over 500 staff and contractors. It is the last coking coal mine left in the UK and produces both high quality coking coal and power station coal.

The owners proposed mothballing in November following geological reports that indicated that the risks associated with mining a new panel, called T125, had not significantly reduced and that the panel is not viable on health & safety, geological, and financial grounds.

On November 30, a working party comprised of employees, union representatives and external consultants presented alternative proposals to the board.

The company has now concluded that, as with its own previous findings, the plans presented by the working party do not provide it with a viable alternative solution.

Mothballing of the underground operations at the 100 year old mine begins this week and will continue through to the end of March 2013 at a cost to the company of approximately £12.3m.

The company stated that it "remains committed to exploring alternative employment opportunities for staff, both within the wider Hargreaves Group and externally. The Company is also working closely with external agencies to provide maximum opportunities for its committed and loyal workforce."

Staff were notified of potential redundancies in October as experts carried out a comprehensive review into the problems with mining a new panel.

If redundancy notices were served to all employees, the redundancy cost would be £7.3m. This includes £3.7m of enhanced redundancy payment. Although, not contractually obliged to honour the enhancement, Hargreaves added that it was the board's intention to pay it.

Going forward, Maltby will continue to trade. Tiny coal particles called "fines" will be harvested and processed and the team is also exploring the potential for electricity production using the mine's methane regeneration assets during the mothballing phase.

With plant and equipment worth £34m, Hargreaves expects to realise £14m in its sale.

The land at Maltby has a value to the group of £11m with costs of restoration provided in the amount of £6m. Input into Rotherham's Local Development Framework (LDF) from Hargreaves last year shows that they are hoping that consideration could be given to utilise the site as a major development in the green belt with possible scope for industrial and business uses, taking advantage of rail infrastructure.

In a report to the stock exchange, the board concluded that: "This has been a very challenging period for the group. The decision to recommend mothballing the mine at Maltby has been a difficult one but the board is confident it is the right decision given the health and safety, geological and financial risks."

Hargreaves Services website

Images: Hargreaves Services

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News: Horbury Group secures £6m worth of contracts

Even in a depressed construction sector, Rotherham-based specialists, the Horbury Group, has secured a number of high profile contracts.

From its headquarters in the Moorgate area, the group combines a number of subsidiaries that specialise in areas including joinery, ceilings, dry lining, health and safety training, and recruitment.

They continue to win contracts in the public sector including a contract worth £4.4m, where the group have been appointed by Vinci to undertake facades, cladding and drywall works on the £57.2m redevelopment of Nottingham Trent University City Campus (pictured).

Following the demolition of Byron House, the current home of the Students' Union, the rebuild will commence and will include a new gym, music venue, shops, health centre and will be home of the new Students Union. There will also be 911 new student bedrooms developed in what will be state-of-the-art facilities.

Appointed by Morgan Sindall, Horbury will also be involved with the drywall, partitioning and steel frame structures on the new build and refurbishment project at St Mary's College in Hull in a contract worth £750k.

And in the North East, Horbury has secured contracts working on the North Shore Health Academy and 'my place' youth facility in Stockton on Tees.

The contract will see all three main Horbury Group companies involved in the project. MWS Joinery will be working on the insallation of door sets, skirting boards, window boards and general ironmongery. Horbury Building Systems will be undertaking drywall lining and partitions. While Titan Interior Solutions will be completing works on the flooring elements.

For the private sector, MWS Joinery, is helping to bring a historic building in Liverpool back to life, securing a contract worth £750k with Merepark to work on the redevelopment of Lewis's Apart Hotel in Liverpool.

The project will see the the renovation of the building into a 126 bed Apart Hotel, which will be situated over four levels. MWS will be undertaking the installation of doors, frames, window boards, iron mongery and will have an involvement in all general joinery on the project.

MWS has also secured a £650k contract for the joinery elements of work upon the "Clifton House Hotel" on Euston Road. Shepherd Construction is transforming the existing office building into a 260 bed Premier Inn Hotel. In addition, as part of the plans, Shepherd will also extend the current building height by three further storeys, where very high specification office space will be added offering spectacular panoramic views of the Capital.

Trevor Wragg, group managing director of the Horbury Group, said: "We are delighted to continue our expansion into the London market with this high profile, very visible project."

The Horbury Group, which formed in Sheffield in 1993 as Horbury Building Systems, has gone from strength-to-strength over recent years, increasing its turnover from £1.4m in its first year to £70m.

Horbury Group website

Images: Vinci Construction

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News: East European fast food finds a soft landing in Rotherham

A Latvian business woman, Marina Zajaca, is the latest entrepreneur to take advantage of the Soft Landings programme run by Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO).

Marina's company, Unifood Solutions Ltd, offers a traditional East European fast food which is quick easy and nutritious. Across Europe millions of people enjoy frozen fast food similar to Russian Pelmeni. It may also be known as Vareniki or Pierogi, depending on which area of Eastern Europe they emanate from.

These traditional foods are thin dough parcels with a variety of savoury and sweet fillings depending on country of origin. These can include many flavours for different uses - minced meat, potato, cottage cheese, or fruit.

Simple to cook, they provide a healthy alternative to pasta and are nutritious. They are also very versatile, and can be used with salads or sauce as a snack, main meal or sweet pudding.

Marina has located her business at RiDO's Fusion Business Centre in Rotherham. Under the Soft Landings programme assistance has been provided around; the UK legislation necessary to setting up a limited company; UK food hygiene regulations, potential equipment suppliers, and researching potential customers.

Building on two decades of successful delivery of incubation programmes and inward investment, the SLZ programme has attracted investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Assistance is given to overseas companies looking to establish operations in the UK, explore the UK market or to use the UK as a base for further European activities.

Potential investor companies from overseas are offered a comprehensive array of services, including; fully equipped modern office facilities, available on flexible easy in/easy out terms, and with full reception & admin support. Assistance will be provided to access relevant specialist help and advice, linking to appropriate support organisations and trade bodies.

RiDO also works with home grown companies through accelerated support programmes to develop ideas that have true potential to create export focused businesses, and help local higher education establishments to encourage spinout companies.

RiDO website

Images: RiDO

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News: Rotherham's retailers of the future

Young apprentices are proving popular with small, independent retailers in Rotherham town centre.

British Land, the part-owners of Meadowhall Shopping Centre and Parkgate Shopping is building on the success of the customer service apprenticeships it part-funded at Meadowhall last year.

The property investor worked with local partner The Source Skills Academy to create further apprenticeship opportunities with independent retailers.

Based at Meadowhall, The Source Skills Academy is a flagship centre providing state of the art training and development facilities with a focus on the retail and service sector.

A new venture opened on Rotherham's High Street last year offering advice, guidance and training services to Rotherham businesses to increase skills levels and to support trade in the town centre, attracting new investment.

George Elliott of The Source, said: "The project has been a huge success and the youngsters lucky enough to gain a place on the scheme have developed into excellent, vibrant, and committed retailers who add a great deal to the businesses they are placed in."

Chris Hamby (pictured above, right), owner of two stores in Rotherham town centre, added: "Taking on a young apprentice has been a real eye opener for me. When we were approached, I was a bit nervous about whether they would be customer focused enough, but Ashley has been great and has changed my opinion.

"Based on this experience, I would definitely be interested in taking on another young apprentice in our other store, and hope to be able to offer a permanent role to Ashley. For us, this scheme has been a total success on every level."

The Source website

Hambys website

British Land website

Images: British Land

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News: Liquid nightclub closes

The Liquid & Envy nightclub on the edge of Rotherham town centre has closed following a decline in trade.

The previous operators, Luminar Leisure, went into administration in October 2011 after talks broke down with its banks on the restructuring of the group's debt arrangement. A subsequent £45m deal to save the operation included the purchase of the Main Street venue.

The 22,000 sq ft, 2,000 capacity nightclub in Rotherham was put up for sale by Luminar before its administration. The 1.965 acre site also includes 150 car-park spaces and was advertised as an investment and a development opportunity.

The club remained trading throughout but now a message was posted on the club's Facebook page last week reading: "It's with great sadness that we announce that Liquid & Envy Rotherham will close with immediate effect.

"We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to our fantastic staff and our amazing customers; we've shared some truly unforgettable nights with you over the years x"

Trading figures in the sale documents show that sales decreased from over £2m in the year ending March 2009 to £622,509 in the year ending March 2012.

Chartered surveyors and property management consultants, Gerald Eve was instructed to sell the freehold of the site by the new owners of Luminar following the administration of the original company last year.

A spokesperson from Gerald Eve confirmed this week that they are currently in discussions with a number of interested parties at present.

Gerald Eve website

Images: Gerald Eve

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News: Bank staff put to work at Magna

Bank workers swapped their desks and keyboards for paint brushes and overalls to help brighten up Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham.

The 14 members of the Sheffield-based HSBC customer analytics team spent a day painting the dark purple walls of the back office area cream and red.

Joanna Dunn, marketing manager at Magna, said: "Magna is a registered charity; so there is always pressure on how money is spent.

"The back office area not only accommodates staff but also hosts VIP guests and corporate clients attending corporate events so it is important it looks good.

"We were impressed with the speed of the team and are very pleased to have a nice fresh look."

Magna is housed in the former Templeborough steelworks which were once the biggest in the world and employed 10,000 people. The works were built during World War One and shut in 1993. They remained derelict until being transformed into an award-winning visitor attraction in 2001.

Magna's indoor four pavilions are on a theme of earth, air, fire and water, and visitors can also see the works' original arc furnace brought back to life through dramatic special effects.

There are daily guided steel tours to explain the steel making process and show what life was life for steel workers.

HSBC has a corporate responsibility to make a positive contribution to the communities in which it's based, actively supporting and encouraging employee volunteering.

Magna website

Images: Magna

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News: EMSc expand into Sheffield

Award-winning energy consultancy, EMS (UK) Ltd, is moving its head office and manufacturing workshop to Sheffield.

Currently based at Templeborough, EMS manufactures Powerstar, a voltage optimisation system with a patented design, which can actively reduce electrical energy consumption by an average of 12-15% of consumed electricity.

The Powerstar system is the only voltage optimisation system wholly designed and manufactured in the UK and works by reducing the the voltage supplied by the National Grid.

Last year the company celebrated ten years of continued success in Rotherham with turnover increasing by 50%, to £12.4m and its workforce doubling to 70 people.

Now EMS has purchased 24,000 sq ft of space at St Paul's Developments' Smithy Wood Business Park that will enable the company to consolidate its warehouse and head office accommodation to enable higher levels of production and to meet exponential demand growth in the UK and internationally.

The new workspace is more than double the size of the current home, therefore enabling EMS to more than double their manufacturing capabilities.

Dr. Alex Mardapittas, managing director at EMSc, said: "We have grown significantly over the last few years to meet the growing market demand for our products. Excitingly, and despite the current recession, we are anticipating our growth to continue into 2013, at an even faster pace than we have experienced over the last few years. As energy prices continue to rise, our innovative energy saving products are becoming increasingly attractive."

Rebecca Schofield, partner at the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, who is agent on the scheme, said: "The sale of unit J2 at Smithy Wood is a significant investment by EMSc (UK) Ltd.

"It is complemented by a two-storey, 6,000 sq ft office extension, which enables the company to consolidate from its three existing facilities to a single headquarters.

"The flexibility and location of accommodation at Smithy Wood is creating one of the city's most vibrant business parks. It is also good to see a return to bespoke design and build projects such as those delivered for Cutting and Wear and the newly agreed development for DPD, both at the site."

EMS House will officially open for business on Monday December 17.

EMS website

Images: EMS

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News: New MP champions Rotherham in maiden speech

Newly elected Rotherham MP, Sarah Champion used her maiden speech in the House of Commons to talk up Rotherham and its businesses.

During an important debate on the economy, Champion highlighted government cuts, job losses and youth unemployment but went on to share facts about industry in the borough.

She said: "The people of Rotherham are proud of their town, but they cannot understand why none of the good things are ever shared. Let me redress that.


"Seven out of 10 top Formula 1 racing cars are constructed of Rotherham steel.

"Every five seconds, somewhere in the world, an aircraft takes off or lands that is reliant on gear made from Rotherham steel.

"In recent years, Rotherham has embraced growing industries in advanced manufacturing, finance and IT services. Rotherham Ready, which was launched in 2005, is internationally acclaimed for its approach to integrating enterprise into learning for all children aged four to 19.

"This year, 18 new independent businesses opened in Rotherham town centre, as well as two national retailers. The recent £7.5m Clifton Park restoration is a benchmark of excellence. Rotherham Show is the largest free show in the north of England and welcomed 80,000 visitors during its two days in September.

"Rotherham United's stunning new home, the New York stadium, opened its doors to a sell-out crowd this year.

"Rotherham is the only place in the country affiliated to the Athena international programme, the main aim of which is to secure balance in leadership worldwide. As the first ever woman to be elected as MP for Rotherham, I am particularly pleased with that affiliation and I will work to support more young women to reach their full potential."

Sarah Champion website

Images: champion4rotherham.org.uk

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News: Approval for Areva's EPR

The UK's official nuclear regulators have approved the design of Areva's EPR reactor for use in the UK. Good news for UK manufacturers including Rolls-Royce and the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) in Rotherham.

The EPR is the first of the new generation of reactors to win this generic approval, following a five-year assessment.

After the Hinkley Point site was recently licensed, the certification of the reactor was the last regulatory step to clear before the EPR reactor can be built in the UK. Another two reactors are proposed at Sizewell, Suffolk.

Following the approval, the French reactor provider signed memoranda of understanding with 25 UK-based companies for the supply of components and services, including forgings, valves, pumps, cranes, electronics, piping, tanking and refrigeration units.

Areva has identified these companies as pre-qualified to supply products that meet the strict nuclear industry standards: it has also identified another 25 companies with the potential capability to meet its requirements.

The Nuclear AMRC on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham will work with all 50 companies to help them qualify and bid for work.

The Nuclear AMRC is a joint initiative between the University of Sheffield, The University of Manchester, and a consortium of industry partners. It provides a focal point for the bulk of the UK civil nuclear manufacturing industry supply chain, ensuring that manufacturers in the UK have the capability and capacity required to compete for nuclear new build in the UK and globally, from skills training to research and development.

Rolls-Royce, who is investing in a large nuclear manufacturing facility in Rotherham, has a £400m agreement with Areva that sees the companies collaborate on the UK civil nuclear market, covering nuclear new build and fuel cycle.

The world-renowned engineers have outline planning permission for a 21,000 sq m "Project PoWeR" facility on the AMP that is proposed for manufacturing and assembling power vessels for the next generation of nuclear power stations.

Luc Oursel, CEO at Areva, said: "Areva looks forward to supporting the UK nuclear industry together with the UK-based companies. The EPR reactor is the only generation III reactor under construction in three countries and now certified in four. It clearly gets ahead of its competitors."

Areva website

Nuclear AMRC website

Rolls-Royce website

Images: Areva

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News: Rotherham to get 4G by March 2013

EE, the UK's most advanced digital communications company, today announced that 4G will be switched on in Rotherham by March 2013.

The recently launched service is regarded by many industry experts as capable of transforming the way in which businesses work, with Sheffield one of the first 18 areas in the UK to benefit from the technology.

Rotherham has now been named as one of 17 further areas that will benefit from 4G before anywhere else.

Businesses will benefit from superfast connectivity, enabling larger files to be downloaded, higher quality streaming of HD video and music, as well as opening up the possibility of mobile video conferencing.

Olaf Swantee, chief executive officer, EE, said: "By the end of the first quarter of 2013, 4G will be available in 35 towns and cities across the UK, making superfast mobile accessible to thousands more customers and businesses every day.

"We're delighted with the progress of the 4G rollout – we are improving the network every day, delivering superfast mobile to more and more people right across metropolitan areas, whether they’re using their devices outdoors or in their homes and offices.

"This has struck a chord with businesses in particular, with great demand being seen. We're delighted to already be powering large, medium and small businesses with 4G."

EE, formerly known as Everything, Everywhere has been created through a merger of the existing T-Mobile and Orange networks. They are aiming for 98% of the UK population to be covered by the end of 2014.

As an exclusive reseller, Templeborough-based DuoCall is one of a small number of telecommunications providers throughout the UK to offer bespoke business packages, allowing them to harness the 4G technology while on the move.

EE website

Images: EE

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News: Brands combined to create RediGroup

Redirack, the Rotherham-based pallet racking and mezzanine floor manufacturer, is combining its market leading brands to form RediGroup.

Redirack has an 100,000 sq ft manufacturing plant in Kilnhurst and has over 70 employees. Established in 1973, they underwent a management buy out from its former owners, the Norwegian based multinational Dexion Group Limited, in 2004.

Since the takeover, Redirack has expanded its headquarters in Mexborough to accommodate the growing demand for its mezzanine floor product, Redifloor.

RediBuild manages all aspects of a commercial or industrial building project, while RediFit offers interior design and fit-out services across a broad range of environments from industrial facilities to offices and retail outlets.

RediTechniX provides automated handling solutions and the company recently secured funding from the government's Regional Growth Fund to develop a new concept for the logistics market, RediLogX.

Andrew Forsythe, managing director of RediGroup, said: "While each of the brands within RediGroup will continue to be marketed in their own right, we believe that the launch of RediGroup will enable us to create greater clarity, acceptance and appreciation of each brand. We know that this will improve business performance and increase penetration of new or under-developed market sectors.

"RediGroup's core philosophy is one of innovation and excellence - whether in the products that we manufacture or the services that we offer. Every aspect of our business is focused on providing a best in class experience."

The group has recently appointed Tim Judge as the company's new national sales manager. He succeeds Jim Davenport who is retiring after 34 years of service with RediRack.

RediGroup website

Images: RediGroup

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News: Carers Federation invest in Rotherham contact centre

The Carers Federation is expanding its Rotherham operations with the opening of an innovative new call centre.

A company limited by guarantee, the Carers Federation was established in 1992 as a small local charity and has grown steadily to become an organisation which provides a diverse range of services, from small local contracts to a large national contract for the Department of Health.

Five people will be recruited to fill new positions at The Hub contact centre in Manvers, which will be run by the Carers Federation and is due to open in February 2013.

The staff will be on the frontline for helping people who wish to make a complaint about their NHS treatment, or the care they have received from health service providers.

Members of the public will be raising their concerns and making their voices heard in this way through a new government service called Healthwatch, along with new independent advocacy contracts, which will be established on a local basis.

Rob Gardiner, deputy chief executive of the Carers Federation, said: "We're pleased to be investing in Rotherham and providing these new jobs. We believe The Hub has a bright future, and we've chosen to locate it in Rotherham because we know we will find the skills we need among the local workforce.

"The roles we are recruiting are for experienced call handlers who will play a valuable role in helping members of the public have their complaints resolved. They will appeal to people who are able to build a good rapport over the phone, have good listening skills and can show empathy with individuals' concerns, often in situations when emotions are running high."

The Carers Federation already employs eight people in Rotherham, as it runs an office delivering the ICAS (Independent Complaints Advocacy Service) service for Yorkshire and Humberside.

The latest telephony and IT systems will be installed in the new call centre on the Patrick Tobin Business Park and The Hub may also support the work of the charity's other services in future.

Carers Federation website

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News: Rotherham United sign up with Westfield

Westfield Health, one of the UK's leading not for profit health insurance providers, has been unveiled as the sponsor of the disabled enclosures at Rotherham United's New York Stadium.

The deal will mean that the sponsored disabled enclosures at the ground will now be named the Westfield Health enclosure.

The £20m stadium on the site of the former Guest & Chrimes foundry close to Rotherham town centre, hosted its first fixtures this season.

Paul Shires, executive director at Westfield, said: "We are delighted to announce our association with Rotherham United and we are sure that it will be a winning partnership for both Westfield and the town.

"Our success owes a huge amount to our South Yorkshire roots as a large number of our policyholders are from Rotherham and the surrounding areas.

"Working with the club provides a fantastic opportunity to show our dedication to making a difference to the communities we work in.

"We look forward to working with the club and wish them continued success on and off the pitch."

Tony Stewart, chairman of Rotherham United, added: "We have had a great working relationship with Westfield Health for many years now and I am pleased to be working with them for the 2012/2013 season. I am sure our partnership will continue to go from strength-to-strength."

Westfield Health website

Rotherham United website

Images: Rotherham United

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News: Town centre retailers move to Parkgate

For one day.

Shoppers will get the best of both retail worlds at Parkgate Shopping on Friday when six independent retailers from Rotherham town centre set up shop at the popular destination.

A special "Festive Friday" event from 10am until 3pm on December 14 includes Bittersweet Boutique - accessories and home furnishings; Props Skatestore, Shocolat - a patisserie; Yella Brick Road - fashion and gifts; the Yorkshireman's Deli and the Whistlestop Sweet Shop.

Denis Copeland, Manager of Parkgate Shopping, said: "We all felt that as we complement each other perfectly – the individuality of the small town centre shops and the value and range of our retailers – we should join forces on one day during the busy Christmas period."

Darren McDool from Rotherham Youth Enterprise added: "Although this first event is a pilot, if it proves to be a success as we strongly believe, similar events will be staged next year. Festive Friday represents true collaboration, and retail guru Mary Portas would be proud of our efforts."

Coun. Gerald Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development for Rotherham Borough Council, added: "Our Markets staff will be setting up the marquees and both Rotherham Youth Enterprise and RIDO staff will be on site throughout the day to promote business support services.

"I am quite sure that visitors to Parkgate Shopping will reap the benefit of such a great collaboration and they can take advantage of the regular free bus which runs throughout the town and through to the retail park and back on a regular basis."

Parkgate Shopping website

Rotherham town centre website

Images: British Land

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News: Changes at Harworth Estates as UK Coal completes restructure

UK Coal has completed the restructuring of the business that has created two separate businesses comprising the mining division and property division.

Recovery plans for UK Coal were put in place in May 2011 after they reported a pre-tax loss of £124.6m after a "further year of poor operational performance."

The company is now called Coalfield Resources plc.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, Harworth Estates has now become Harworth Estates Property Group Limited.

The deal includes UK Coal owning 24.9 per cent of Harworth Estates, with 75.1 per cent having passed to the Pension Funds in return for a £30m cash injection and their support to the mining division.

Following the deal, Owen Michaelson has stepped down as a director of UK Coal to become the chief executive of Harworth Estates with immediate effect.

Jeremy Hague, currently finance director at Harworth Estates, will become the finance director of the UK Coal in an executive capacity.

Jonson Cox will remain chairman of UK Coal and will also chair Harworth Estates and shareholder meetings of the mining business.

Jonson Cox, chairman of Coalfield Resources, said: "This has been a restructuring of unprecedented scale and complexity for this size of company, dealing with a legacy structure that was inherited on the privatisation of British Coal in 1994.

"I'm delighted that we've succeeded in completing it. Without it, it was almost certain that the coal mines would have been unable to trade beyond the first quarter of 2013."

Harworth Estates is one of the largest landowners in the UK with access to over 30,000 acres of land. One key regeneration project is the £100m Waverley community development in Rotherham.

The biggest brownfield site development in South Yorkshire covers 741 acres, an area bigger than Sheffield city centre.

Over a development phase of 20 years, the site will see the establishment of a new community of around 4,000 homes, shops, restaurants, schools, leisure facilities, health and community centres and parks.

Jonson Cox, added: "We now look forward to achieving the medium and long term realisation of value from the portfolio, for the benefit of shareholders and the pension funds.

"I look forward to working further with Owen Michaelson and building on our work over the last two years."

Harworth Estates website

Images: harworthestates.co.uk

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News: Tata Steel enhances quality controls at Rotherham works

As the company continues with a proposed restructure, Tata Steel continues to invest in new technology at its Rotherham sites.

An almost £1m investment has been made at the Thrybergh Combination Mill that will improve the quality of the steel bar output.

Innovative technology called "HotEye" has been installed that can capture the image of an object in temperatures up to 1,450°C with the same image quality as if the object were at room temperature. This will help Tata Steel to improve product quality in some of its most safety-critical products, including steels used in gears, steering and braking systems in cars.

Tata Steel has also installed two laser measuring devices at the Thrybergh mill. Lasers fire harmless pulses into the steel as it is being rolled into bar and provide measurements accurate to 0.03mm (about the width of a human hair).

The company has also upgraded a quality inspection system at its Scunthorpe Rod Mill.

Grant McBain, commercial manager for wire rod and bar products at Tata Steel, said: "Our customers rightly demand high-quality products. This investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to delivering products of a consistently high standard to the marketplace."

The investment in Thrybergh is part of a £4.5m package announce last year to improve plant reliability and energy efficiency at its South Yorkshire operations.

Last month, the Indian-owned steelmaker, announced a restructure of its UK operations that would result in £2.7m being invested in Rotherham but over 100 local jobs at risk of redundancy. Tata Steel is proposing to reduce its production and shift levels which will lead to the loss of 135 jobs, including 110 in Rotherham.

Tata Steel website

Images: Tata Steel

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News: MGB Plastics suffer fire at Rotherham facility

MGB Plastics, the UK's leading manufacturer of wheeled bins, suffered a fire at its Rotherham facility over the weekend.

25 firefighters were called to after an oil bath caught fire on Barbot Hall Industrial Estate premises.

Fire crews found smoke coming from both sides ofthe building on Mangham Road, when they arrived at around 10.15am on Sunday. Luckily the fire had been contained thanks to the company's on-site sprinkler system, and firefighters were able to fully extinguish it with dry powder.

No members of staff were inside the building when the fire broke out but managers from the company were quickly on scene to assist fire crews with information about the premises.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue believes a fault on a machine above the oil bath caused it to catch fire.

Incident Commander Mark Lidster said: "Thanks to the sprinklers and the swift actions of the first fire crews on scene this fire was dealt with very quickly."

No-one was injured in the blaze.

Last year, MGB made a six figure investment in new machinery that means that the manufacturing capacity of the 50,000 sq ft facility is 1.5 million wheeled bins per annum. MGB supplies thousands of bins to councils and venues across the UK.

The derelict former Carpet Warehouse building on College Road was again damaged in a fire this week. Adjoining Masbrough Chapel, which dates from 1793, the building was the target of a suspected arson attack in March.

MGB Plastics website

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News: Key role for Nuclear AMRC in supply chain

The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) in Rotherham has been given a number of key tasks to ensure that UK companies can make the most of a civil nuclear supply chain worth an estimated £60 billion.


The government has published its Nuclear Supply Chain Action Plan in partnership with industry that aims to ensure that the UK nuclear supply chain is best placed to develop opportunities in both the domestic and global nuclear sectors, which in turn will provide long term jobs, growth and economic benefit.

It is estimated that 16GW of new nuclear built in the UK by 2025 (in line with current industry plans) would create up to 30,000 new jobs. There will also be opportunities for manufacturing companies to get involved in the building, operating and decommissioning of the UK's new nuclear power stations.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), the Nuclear AMRC is a joint initiative between the University of Sheffield, The University of Manchester, and a consortium of industry partners. It recently secured £37.1m from the government's Regional Growth Fund to boost their work that will ensure that manufacturers in the UK have the capability and capacity required to compete for nuclear new build in the UK and globally.

As part of the new plan, the Nuclear AMRC has been tasked with helping companies enter the nuclear market, help with procurement, help UK firms engage with foreign companies and support exporting, help companies improve their processes and gain the accreditation they need, and ensure quality throughout the supply chain.

Michael Fallon, Business Minister, said: "This action plan is an important part of our work with industry to shape a vibrant UK nuclear industry, and to ensure the UK exploits the commercial opportunities that exist and is a leading player in the expanding global nuclear market.

"We are determined to exploit our strengths and believe this is a sector where a partnership between government and industry can help give the UK a competitive edge in the global race. It's a key sector in our industrial strategy."Rolls-Royce, who is investing in a large nuclear manufacturing facility in Rotherham, is the lead private sector partner in the Nuclear AMRC.

Andrew Storer, programme director at Rolls Royce Civil Nuclear, said: "Rolls-Royce is delighted that the Government is continuing to demonstrate its commitment to supporting the growth and development of the UK nuclear industry with the publication of this action plan.

"This action plan will show how Government and industry can work together to identify opportunities to ensure the UK can maximise the economic growth opportunity that will be generated from the nuclear new build programme in the UK.

"We are pleased to have been one of the many industry organisations involved in the development of this action plan, and we believe the UK supply chain will benefit significantly as a result.

"Publication of the action plan is the first step on the journey to realising benefits for the UK supply chain. Rolls-Royce is keen to continue to help ensure it is implemented successfully, alongside the deployment of a new fleet of nuclear power plants in the UK."

Rolls-Royce has a collaboration agreement with Hitachi, Ltd. to support its delivery of new nuclear reactors in the UK and a £400m agreement with AREVA that sees the companies collaborate on the UK civil nuclear market, covering nuclear new build and fuel cycle.

The world-renowned engineers have outline planning permission for a 21,000 sq m "Project PoWeR" facility on the AMP (pictured, above) that is proposed for manufacturing and assembling power vessels for the next generation of nuclear power stations. It will bring another 180 of the initial 360 jobs from Rolls-Royce.

Nuclear AMRC website

Rolls-Royce website

Images: Nuclear AMRC / Rolls-Royce / URS / Bond Bryan

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News: Planners back AMP extension

Council planners have recommend approval for plans that could pave the way for a massive expansion of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

Harworth Estates, the property arm of landowners, UK Coal, has submitted plans ealier this year for earthworks that will allow further development on an adjacent area of around 21.5 hectares (53 acres).

Harworth Estates is looking to extend and expand the AMP at the Waverley site to "build on its success to date and host additional prestige businesses."

In the plans, they estimate that "the employment growth will go from 500 to 1,500 employees following Rolls-Royce's commitment to the site."

Members of the planning board of Rotherham Council are being recomended to approve the plans that would see the excavation of approximately 250,000 cubic metres of earth which will result in the ground levels being reduced by approximately 10 metres. 4,000 cubic metres would then be used to create "a level development plateau" and assist in preparations for an extension to the UK's premier advanced manufacturing technology park.

Planners conclude that the proposed works will take place for a maximum of five years and not have a detrimental impact on the local road network or highway safety, or on the biodiversity of the area or the amenity of occupiers of the nearby residential properties.

Changes to plans for highway works around Waverley are also set to be approved. It includes the developers dualling Poplar Way with a three-lane entry to the existing Parkway/Poplar Way roundabout. Widening of the Parkway northbound off-slip road from the A630 Parkway to provide two lanes will also take place although the works won't be carried until 500 houses of the proposed 4,000 are built on the site.

A £1.9m transport scheme was recently announced by the government to improve the junction of the M1 close to the site.

Harworth Estates estimates that along with the adjoining commercial developments and the AMP, the new community development at Waverley will create around 7,000 new jobs and contribute over £1 billion to the local economy as it is built out over the next 20 years.

AMP website

Harworth Estates website

Images: Harworth Estates

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News: Clifton Park restoration "a benchmark of excellence"

The restoration of Clifton Park in Rotherham has been recognised at the UK's most prestigious landscape awards ceremony.

The £7.5m project, led by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, was the winner in the Heritage and Conservation category at the recent Landscape Institute Awards 2012.

The Landscape Institute is the Royal Chartered body for landscape architects and the awards are presented to encourage and recognise outstanding examples of the work of the landscape profession.

Rotherham's premier park, located on the edge of the town centre, was restored with support from a £4.5 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund through their "Parks for People" programme. Work completed in 2010 includes the new water play area, refurbished bandstand, memorial garden and rock garden. A new skatepark, bowls pavilion, space for rangers and gardeners, toilets, and a multi-purpose room for events and activities were also provided.

Landscape architects, LDA Design worked with a large multidisciplinary team to restore a park that had been in decline for decades. Following comprehensive historical research coupled with extensive public consultation, it has restored historic features while introducing new elements to provide the facilities that are wanted in parks today.

It has paid close attention to interpretation and has addressed sustainability in a thorough-going and imaginative way, including using timber from trees that were felled within new buildings.

The judges commented: "The project clearly demonstrates the benefit of having the continuity of the lead consultant through the life of the project, from the absolute beginning to the final completion.

"The understanding of the historic development of the landscape is clearly demonstrated in the decisions to innovate in critical elements of the scheme that make it relevant to contemporary uses and its community.

"This is a scheme that stands as a benchmark of excellence in its field."

Phil Gill, Leisure and Green Spaces Manager for the authority, who received the award at a ceremony in London, said: "We are extremely proud and delighted to have won this award. Park users had already told us how much they like the improvements, but it is wonderful to have received this formal acknowledgement of the vision, skill and sheer hard work of everyone involved."

The project was not without its problems, the lead construction contractors, UCS Civils, went into administration during the redevelopment. Local builders George Hurst and Sons Ltd were appointed to complete the building and associated Walled Garden and Courtyard.

LDA Design were involved in two winning projects and highly commended in three other categories at the awards. Neil Mattinson, Senior Partner at LDA Design, said: "We are delighted to have been recognised by these awards. This has been a momentous year for the practice."

Clifton Park website

Images: RMBC

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News: Automotive proving factory welcomed

Local civic and business leaders in Rotherham have welcomed the news that Tata Steel and its industry partners are to develop a new automotive proving facility, to be located in the town.

Announced last week, a consortium of industry partners has secured a multimillion pound grant to create an advanced manufacturing "proving factory" in Rotherham to develop the mass production of new low carbon technologies.

Led by industry experts, Productiv Limited, and working closely with Tata Steel and other automotive manufacturers and technology developers, the facility will enable new technologies to be tested and developed, prior to their potential use in the mass production of future vehicles.

The successful bid is from Round 1 of the Government's £125m Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) that aims to strengthen manufacturing supply chain projects across key sectors such as the automotive, aerospace and chemical industries.

Mark Broxholme, managing director of Tata Steel's speciality steels business, said: "We are delighted to play a major role in this exciting collaborative project that together with other technology partners, government and business will enable new low carbon technologies used in the next generation of hybrid and electric vehicles to become a reality and get into production here in the UK.

"We are a company that works within the automotive industry and we've partnered with Productiv to help improve manufacturing processes, industrialise emerging green technologies and speed up their introduction into the UK automotive supply chain."

Councillor Roger Stone, Leader of Rotherham Council, added: "It is good to see that another industry-leading research centre will be located in Rotherham.

"With the world-class facilities we already have at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), demonstrating expertise in advanced manufacturing industries such as aerospace and power generation, the addition of this automotive proving facility further strengths our claim to be the centre of the UK's advanced manufacturing heartland."

James Newman, Chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "I would like to congratulate the Productiv led team on securing funding from the Government's Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative.

"The new proving factory will join our growing community of advanced manufacturing researchers in the Sheffield City Region and will help to boost further growth in the industry.

"As the Sheffield City Region continues to strengthen its reputation as a global centre for modern manufacturing and technology, I hope to see more City Region initiatives of this ambition gain Government support in the future."

Further details of the project are to be announced in the New Year.

Productiv website

Tata Steel website

Images: productivgroup.com

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News: Gala Tent impressed by enterprising students

Students at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy at the Sheffield College were given a real life business challenge by Rotherham-based Gala Tent, one of the UK's leading designers and manufacturers of marquees and gazebos.

The challenge was to create a new tent product for the pet market and students worked in small groups to come up with a new product design and material specification, which they presented to judges from Gala Tent in a Dragons' Den-style pitch.

The winning team was called Paw PRINT, which included team members Kaiden Altaf, Jack Thornber and Dale Campbell. Judges were impressed with their innovative ideas for their pet tent, which included play tunnels for dogs and cats, with storage areas for toys. Their presentation was judged to be very good and they were praised on the level of detail they put into their drawings of the prototype tent.

Runners up ideas included a tent for the horse show market, a 6m x 8m tent for kennelling dogs at shows overnight, a dog cottage aimed at the camping and caravanning market and a temperature controlled tent for dogs, available in a variety of colours.

Jason Mace, managing director at Gala Tent, said: "We were really impressed with the concepts for the tents that were designed by the students, as well as the standard of their presentations, which made it difficult to choose an overall winner.

"We would like to congratulate all the teams involved, particularly Paw PRINT, for the way they responded to this very real business challenge. There were definitely one or two ideas that we could look to take forward to prototype and, who knows, you could soon be buying a Gala Tent for your pony or dog!

"It was a real pleasure to work with Sheffield College again, as the students of the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy are very commercially minded and have real entrepreneurial flair.

"Innovation is crucial in our industry and we are constantly evolving our product range to ensure we can stay one step ahead of the market. Working with the college gives us a fresh input of ideas and also helps us to identify potential recruits for the future."

Graeme Tidd, business enterprise manager at Sheffield College's Peter Jones Academy added: "Having a forward-thinking business like Gala Tent involved adds real value to the experience for our students. It is so valuable for them to work with entrepreneurs who can give them that insight into what it's like to start and run a business.

"We are looking forward to continuing to work with Gala Tent to develop this project in the future."

The Manvers firm is looking to run a follow-up challenge with the academy in 2013 when the prize will be that the winning team would have their product manufactured by the company, with the chance to sell it and make a profit for themselves.

Gala Tent website

Images: Gala Tent

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