News: Healey calls for study into HS2 parkway station

John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, has called for a study into a potential station on the main HS2 line in South Yorkshire after new recommendations opted for a spur into Sheffield instead.

The new option proposes that HS2 services between London and Sheffield would take a spur off the new north-south high speed line and travel directly to the existing Sheffield Midland station using the existing railway line. Instead of travelling into a new station at Meadowhall, the HS2 line to Leeds would travel east of Rotherham following the M1 and M18 before heading through the Dearne Valley.

Construction on HS2, the high speed North to South rail link that aims to provide extra capacity to handle increasing demand, will begin during this Parliament and has been given a funding envelope of £55.7 billion in 2015 prices. It should reach Birmingham in 2026 and Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

The new recommendations would cut journey times on services heading to Leeds, York and Newcastle, and would also reduce the cost of the project by around £1 billion.

Healey has written to new transport secretary Chris Grayling and asked his department "to commission HS2 to undertake a study of the feasibility and benefits of a mainline South Yorkshire station, on the HS2 route rather than on a "loop" of standard rail track in central Sheffield."

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Sir David Higgins, the chairman of HS2, said in his report on the recommended changes that he believes "that HS2 should carry out a study to make recommendations to the Secretary of State on the potential for a parkway station on the M18/Eastern leg route which could serve the South Yorkshire area as a whole."

The local MP, whose constituency includes affected areas of Bramley and Ravenfield, has discussed the matter directly with Sir David but any study would need to be commissioned by the Government.

The new spur would see two trains per hour into Sheffield on existing lines whilst the main HS2 line continues to carry trains serving Leeds and further North. With a station at Meadowhall, indicative service patterns showed six trains per hour in each direction stopping in South Yorkshire. A total of ten trains per hour are expected to serve the eastern network in each direction.

The "classic compatible" trains could also stop at Chesterfield. Compared to the fastest existing service of 120 minutes, this would result in a fastest London to Sheffield service of around 83 minutes for those trains which stop at Chesterfield and of 79 minutes for those that do not.

The report also added that the route would create the possibility of these classic compatible services running through Sheffield Midland to other destinations, including Barnsley, Meadowhall and Rotherham.

However, a link North from Sheffield Midland and back onto the HS2 line has not been confirmed but may be included in proposals for HS3 / Northern Powerhouse Rail which aims to link Sheffield with Leeds and Manchester in under 30 minutes.

Both Healey and Kevin Barron MP have raised issues with Government and HS2 that areas of South Yorkshire face "taking all the disruption but receiving none of the benefits."

Wales, Thurcroft, Bramley and Hellaby were being considered as HS2 station locations back in 2012.

The option to run the route east of Rotherham with an intermediate South Yorkshire station along the route of the M18 was ruled out as the sites were considered too remote. HS2 Ltd looked at a spur into Sheffield using the existing train line but in 2013 opted for the route to Meadowhall instead.

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News: Rolls-Royce sets course for profits

The board of world-renowned engineers, Rolls-Royce, expects profits to soar in the second half of the year despite an 80% drop in the first half.

Reporting its results for the first half of 2016, the company announced that revenues were down 1% to £6.4 billion, with pre-tax profit plummeting to a £2.15 billion loss, largely due to a write-down of £2.2 billion due to changes in exchange rates. Underlying profit before tax was £104m, down 80% at constant exchange rates.

Warren East, chief executive at Rolls-Royce, said: "In the first half of 2016 Rolls-Royce performed broadly in line with expectations, delivering a result a little better than breakeven; and the outlook for the rest of the year remains unchanged. Order intake has been good and, although known headwinds constrained revenue and profit in the first half, the business remains well positioned to deliver a solid second half performance supported by growth in engine deliveries, stronger aftermarket revenues and incremental benefits from our ongoing restructuring programmes."

The aero engine manufacturer has been undertaking restructures and reviews, particularly on reducing costs, including headcount, footprint and sourcing. It has been forced to issue a number of profit warnings due to a weaker marine business and lower than expected demand for some products, including the Trent 700 engine.

East added: "We have taken some positive first steps on the journey that will lead Rolls-Royce to profitable and highly cash generative growth. Our strategic advantages lie in our focus on engineering excellence, operational excellence and capturing value in the aftermarket. In the first six months, we have made progress with our business transformation; introducing the greater pace and simplicity required to make Rolls-Royce a more resilient company."

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The Derby firm still has a bouyant order book valued at £79.5 billion. This grew by £3.4bn (4% from the 2015 year end) largely due to £2bn foreign exchange benefit from long-term US dollar planning rate change.

The order book is powered by Rolls-Royce's civil aerospace business which alone has secured £70 billion in orders. Order intake of £7.9 billion in the first half of 2016 for civil aerospace was £0.5 billion higher than the previous year. Key orders included a $2.7bn order from Norwegian for Trent 1000 engines and the selection by China Eastern of 20 Trent XWB powered Airbus A350 aircraft.

In May, Rolls-Royce despatched the first "shipset" of four Trent 900 engines as part of its largest ever order, for Emirates. The £6.16 billion deal, secured last year, is to provide Trent 900 engines and TotalCare service to the largest airline in the Middle East, for 50 Emirates A380s, the first of which will enter service later this year.

Having begun a restructuring programme in its aerospace business, the company previously said that the product transition in civil aerospace will drive long-term growth and that its "industrial transformation" will deliver that growth.

Rolls-Royce says that "Engineering excellence remains the cornerstone of our value to Civil Aerospace customers" and this is evident at the most advanced turbine blade casting facility in the world, which was officially opened on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham in 2015. When fully operational in 2017, the £110m, 150,000 sq ft facility will employ 150 people and have the capacity to manufacture more than 100,000 single crystal turbine blades a year.

This week's report added: "The successful roll-out of new engines, led in particular by the Trent XWB, 1000 and 7000, together with a growing aftermarket, is expected to drive significant revenue growth over the next ten years as we build toward a 50%-plus share of the installed widebody passenger market. As a result, we remain confident that the important investments we are making to transition our production will create a strong platform to drive customer service and strong cash flows, together with the current investments in new products and the streamlining of our existing product portfolios to ensure we are providing high value, cost-competitive products into our target end markets."

The report also touched on Rolls-Royce's nuclear business where revenue increased 14% but profit was £3m lower than 2015. The company secured outline planning permission for a manufacturing facility in Rotherham for large scale components for the civil nuclear sector. Due to delays and contract phasing, the company has switched focus to Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), exploring the technical and market opportunities and joining as partners in research projects alongside industry and the Nuclear AMRC in Rotherham.

The Times recently reported that the Government has selected businesses including Rolls-Royce for the next round of a competition to find a SMR design that offers a much more cost effective source of nuclear power than large scale projects like Hinkley Point C.

Rolls-Royce website

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News: Loadhog donation for Rotherham Hospice

Young people in Rotherham whose parents have passed away in Rotherham Hospice are to get extra support after their loss thanks to a £1,200 donation from Loadhog, Sheffield's returnable transit packaging innovator.

The only adult hospice in Rotherham for the people of Rotherham, Rotherham Hospice is an independent charity and must raise significant sums of money each year in order to pay for the quality care provided free of charge to patients, their families and carers. The charity needs £5m a year with £2.2m needed to be raised each year through voluntary support.

Rotherham Hospice is already running bereavement sessions for youngsters who have lost their parents to cancer or ill health there and the cash will help to expand the vital service.

The Sunbeams group, which currently holds sessions four times a month, is dedicated to supporting young people with bereavement and pre-bereavement counselling and is proving to be a much needed service.

Christopher Duff, chief executive at Rotherham Hospice (pictured, left), said: "Loadhog's donation is both thoughtful and timely. It will make a positive difference to what we can do for our patients and their families.

"We are trying to keep pace with the demand for this type of counselling and the donation will go towards funding this truly valued service. We are most grateful to Loadhog for choosing Rotherham Hospice for this donation."

Loadhog is part of a group of employee-owned companies where each employee is a shareholder member. GLIDE (Growth Led Innovation Driven Employee-Owned) is the central body that represents all the shareholder members who work in its partner companies. Established in 2011 as a way to preserve and develop employee culture, to look after the interests of its members and to generate engagement by everyone in their company, other GLIDE members include Gripple and PMS Diecasting.

The manufacturer has a charity team which decided to donate £1,200 eight times this year to a different cause each time. The first was to Revive Café, which supports the city's homeless, and the second to the Include Foundation which helps vulnerable young people.

Jonathan Taylor, a member of the charity team (pictured, right), said: "Loadhog employees are proud to assist such a worthwhile project which will help so many people across the Rotherham region."

Loadhog website

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News: Owen Smith outlines pledges in Rotherham speech

Last month, the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham was visited by Leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn MP. This month it was chosen by his challenger to that role, Owen Smith MP, as he set out twenty policy pledges for "Labour's future."

The AMP is home to a number of world-class companies and research organisations. It is a joint venture between public and private sector organisations including land-owner and developer, Harworth Estates, to create an internationally recognised centre for engineering, innovation, research and manufacturing excellence.

Backed by Government and European-funding, industry and academia have combined to create multimillion pound facilities at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). At the same time, companies such as Rolls-Royce have invested in new manufacturing facilities on the site of the former Orgreave Coking Plant.

Outlining the themes of his leadership campaign, Owen Smith, said: "This speech feels like the best expression of what I feel about our country right now, and what I want to fix in our country, and why I'm standing for this job - the Labour party needs to take a new course, a new generation needs us.

"We need revolution not evolution. Not some misty eyed romanticism about a revolution to overthrow capitalism. But a cold eyed and practical revolution."

On choosing South Yorkshire to give his speech, the MP said: "I wanted to do it here at Orgreave for two reasons really. One, Orgreave symbolises so much about me and my politics. I grew up in the South Wales Valleys and the seat that I represent, Pontypridd, a town that was once surrounded by 13 pits and a coke works, much like Orgreave - all gone now of course. I wanted to do it here to remind us of the great battles, the great victories that we have fought as a movement, and the losses that we have endured too."

The MP used the opportunity to call for a Hillsborough-style public enquiry into the confrontation that took place on the site in 1984 between police and picketing miners.

Smith continued: "The other reason that I wanted to do it on this site, in this fantastic Advanced Manufacturing Park, is that it is such a symbol of what we can do when we win. It's a fantastic illustration of the power of government to do good. It's a brilliant example of what we can build when we are at our best. And we've got to remember that we can only build places like this when we win."

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His speech focused on his desire to end austerity and included the start of a series of "unbreakable promises" on fair employment, fair taxes and fair funding.

Pledges he described as radical but credible include banning zero hour contracts, repealing the Trade Union Act, a wealth tax on the top 1% of earners to fund increased spending in the NHS and building 300,000 houses a year.

The Welsh politician proposes a major investment scheme to create jobs and improve infrastructure - A "British New Deal" based on borrowing more. This includes a commitment to invest £50 billion in the North of England, and to bring forward HS3 - a high speed rail link connecting the North's great cities which could significantly reduce journey times across the region.

He said: "The cities of the North in centuries past have been the great powerhouse of our economy and they must be again. It is not enough for us to rely on London and the South East to power Britain. We need to capture the ingenuity, the innovation, the skills and the know how of the North of England - of Wales, of Scotland, of the East of England - places that have been left behind and feel left behind. I will do something about it, I promise you that.

"HS3 across the Pennines. HS2, delivering not a drain of resources from the North but a push of resource into the North. That's what we need. We need to go further and we need to be bolder. Our economy is far too London-centric and this is in part because, both our existing transport infrastructure, and new investment, are all concentrated far too much in London. London is fantastic, and we wouldn't want to diminish it, but we need "mini Londons" across the country."

Images: Owen Smith Campaign / Twitter

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News: Gala Tent celebrates record breaking month

Rotherham-based Gala Tent Ltd, one of the UK's leading producers of marquees, tents and pop-up gazebos, has achieved a record breaking month of sales, as the company's income for a single month exceeds the £1m mark, for the first time in its operating history.

Founded in 1999, Gala Tent has grown to sell over 15,000 tents and marquees each year, along with around 100,000 event accessories and furniture products. It grew from a table top operation in Grimethorpe to a company with a turnover of £10m having moved into new 53,000 sq ft headquarters at Fairfield Park in Manvers in 2011.

The firm has seen a marked increase in demand for its marquees, gazebos, furniture and printed products from commercial and domestic customers throughout Europe.

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June's record-breaking sales come at the peak of Gala Tent's trading year and follows a continuous month-on-month streak of growth, with sales topping £4m in the first two quarters, an increase of 8% on the same period last year.

Gala Tent has seen significant growth within the European market, the company has eleven distributors across Europe which so far have remained unaffected by the UK's decision to part from the EU.

An increase in demand from market operators has also bolstered Gala Tent's sales, with the company forming strong partnerships with NABMA, FARMA and Europe's largest market operator, Groupe Geraud.

Jason Mace, managing director of Gala Tent Ltd (pictured), said: "This year has been our best year of trading to date and for any business to achieve one million pounds in sales within a month is a significant milestone. We've seen an increase in demand from a number of different sectors, both at home and across Europe and seen demand rise in a number of different industries; perhaps most notably from market operators and the motorsports sector.

"We've also strengthened our team with several key appointments, and although it's still relatively early days, all eight new members of staff are helping to play a positive role in the business.

"The motorsports sector is a relatively new one for us and after deciding to sponsor the Le Mans race team United Autosports, we've been seeing impressive results both on and off the grid."

Gala Tent's sister company, Gala Graphics, has also seen a notable increase in sales with turnover doubling in the first two quarters of 2016, compared to the same period last year.

Glen Robinson, managing director of Gala Graphics, said: "Over the past twelve months, we've diversified the range of marketing products sold through Gala Graphics and this is helped us to double our own turnover within our own right.

"I've worked for Gala Tent for over ten years and during that time I've seen the business change beyond all recognition and achieving this miletone is a reflection of the dedication and commitment of all of our members of staff. We've been close a few times in recent months, but to finally reach the target is a terrific feeling."

Gala Tent website

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News: Network Space acquires Rotherham unit

Network Space has acquired prime industrial premises in Rotherham as it builds up its portfolio in the Yorkshire region.

The commercial property development, investment and management company owned by Bill Ainscough rebranded from Langtree Group last year. Network Space now comprises a self-managed investment portfolio of over three million sq ft of modern industrial and office developments across 60 locations with a combined value of over £130m, the majority of which has been self-developed. The company continues to bring forward for development its directly owned land bank of over 1,000 acres.

The property portfolio includes a number of Rotherham premises including the successful Vector 31 development at Waleswood and Century Park Networkcentre - 28 office and workspace units over two phases adjacent to RiDO's Century Business Centre at Manvers.

The latest addition is Unit 1 at Centurion Business Park in Templeborough. The popular area is home to the likes of THS Tools, Marsden Weighing and Signs Express. It is anchored by Newburgh Precision and Toyoda Gosei.

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Brought to the market by Sanderson Weatherall last year, the 16,195 sq ft unit was previously home to Barrett Steel's energy products division.

The modern warehouse unit with ancilliary offices was made available freehold with vacant possession at an asking price of £995,000.

Represented by commercial property agents Gent Visick the Rotherham deal is one of three separate transactions totalling £5.15m in recent months. Network Space has also acquired properties at Silkstone Court, Barnsley and Willowbridge Way, Castleford.

Gidon Amar, director at Gent Visick said: "The market has become extremely competitive for similar quality stock. The transactions, which include off market and freehold vacant possession purchases, demonstrate the strength of the market."

Martin Mellor, investment director at Network Space, added: "All three units display excellent underlying fundamentals which are consistent with our portfolio, whilst Yorkshire continues to be a stronghold for us."

Network Space website

Images: Sanderson Weatherall

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News: CW Fletcher lands £7m export deal

CW Fletcher, a precision engineering firm based in Rotherham, has signed a £7m, three year export deal with Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) of Japan.

The business supplies a diverse range of industries, including aerospace, nuclear and space exploration. Its "Sterling Works" is part of a 9.5-acre combined site located at Wales Bar in Rotherham where high-strength, lightweight assemblies in ordinary and exotic metallic materials are fabricated and high value-added components are machined.

Under the new agreement, CW Fletcher will supply unison ring components which will ultimately be fitted into Rolls-Royce aero engines.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KHI) is a Japanese public multinational corporation with interests in environmental control and energy plant engineering, machinery and robotics, ship building and marine engineering, power plant engineering and steel structures, rolling stock, aerospace, and famously, motorcycles.

KHI's relationship with Rolls-Royce dates back to 1959 when the two companies formed a technical alliance for the overhaul of the Orpheus jet engine. Since then the partnership has expanded to encompass a wide range of areas including defense aircraft engines and commercial aircraft. KHI supplies the intermediate pressure compressor (IPC) module for both the Trent 1000 and Trent XWB engines and has signed up as a partner for the Trent 7000 engine.

As one of the eight main modules that constitute the engine, the IPC module has a diameter of about 1.5 metres, a length of about 1.5 metres and is comprised of approximately 4,000 components.

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The new contract is part of CW Fletcher's ambitious strategy to increase its turnover from £20m to £32m by 2020 and underscores the company's success since joining Sharing in Growth (SIG), the government-backed competitiveness improvement programme.

Established in August 2013, the SiG programme helps aerospace supply chain companies to improve their productivity and competitiveness so they are better placed to win a share of continued growth in the global aerospace market. Each company participates in an intense four year training and development programme which attracts £1.2 million from the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) for each company.

Speaking at the recent Farnborough International Airshow where he signed the agreement with Mr Akio Onsuka of KHI, CW Fletcher managing director Steve Kirk (pictured) said: "This is a very important contract for us. It demonstrates the quality of our work and the skills of our workforce and it will safeguard Sheffield jobs. We are delighted that the Sharing in Growth programme has helped us win export business for Britain."

Andy Page, CEO of Sharing in Growth, added: "CW Fletcher joined the SiG programme to win business through increased productivity and competitiveness. Their achievement is outstanding and shows the effectiveness of the programme which so far helped UK aerospace companies secure more than £1 billion in orders to date – 20% of which is for direct export. Ultimately the SiG programme's goal is to secure 10,000 UK jobs by 2022."

Components for Rolls-Royce engines are already being manufactured in Rotherham. The leading firm officially opened the most advanced turbine blade casting facility in the world on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in 2014. When fully operational in 2017, the 150,000 sq ft facility will employ 150 people and have the capacity to manufacture more than 100,000 single crystal turbine blades a year.

CW Fletcher website
Sharing in Growth website

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News: Rotherham markets upgrade

The markets complex in Rotherham town centre has an eye-catching new entrance following investment from the local council.

The new look follows a request to Rotherham Council last year by tenants and traders to brighten up the entrance from Drummond Street, opposite the car park and new Tesco store.

After receiving this request, the Council took the project forward, gaining planning permission for the new entrance signage and also ensuring urgent roof repairs and maintenance were carried out.

The results are now complete and can be viewed by anyone visiting the markets via Drummond Street.

Rotherham Council's Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott, said: "The new entrance looks great and I hope it will encourage many more shoppers to call in and discover all that our fantastic markets have to offer."

The Council’s Markets Operations Manager, Dean Thurlow, added: "The signage above the main entrance looks inviting and vibrant, leading to the many different commodities and services which are on offer six days a week within the Outdoor Covered Market and Centenary Market Hall."

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The authority has been looking at redeveloping the markets complex in order to take advantage of Tesco's move across town.

£25,000 was secured in 2013 to carry out work to understand a refurbishment scheme for the indoor market. Options for the redevelopment of the outdoor tented market were devised and cost estimates to deliver the works are in the order of £4m.

Given the costs and lack of available funding, the Council has targeted small scale improvements to enhance the entrances to, and exterior of, the Markets Complex in the short term.

In 2014, the Retail Group was brought in at a cost of £19,000 to identify the future strategy and growth plan for the town centre markets, and the right offer for the town and its customers.

It is recognised that the markets continue to welcome over four million customers per year but the outdoor markets area is underutilised and has significant issues in terms of its access and permeability into the indoor markets area. A redeveloped markets complex was identified in the borough's growth plan.

The recent supplementary planning document included a key move to support "Making and Trading" in the town centre with the indoor market being retained and the remainder of the site being redeveloped. Influenced by Rotherham's history and ideas such as the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, a redeveloped market site could include opportunities for small scale manufacturing and space for entrepreneurs. The plans state: "The suitability of the Markets for this purpose is also reinforced by the fact that it would also be capable of providing a space in which products manufactured on site could be sold."

Previous plans drawn up through the Rotherham Renaissance design stages even showed a new car park with bowling alley, cinema and food court above, on the site of the covered outside market.

Rotherham Markets website

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News: Endeavour to re-establish Mitsubishi forklifts in region

Rotherham-based Endeavour Forklifts, has received factory seal of approval for the provision of new Mitsubishi forklift trucks.

Based in Aldwarke, the provider of service, parts, sales and hire for the region's forklift users, was created specifically for exclusive distribution rights to Mitsubishi forklifts in South and West Yorkshire.

Endeavour was founded by Rotherham-born, Jason Reynolds, a former director of a national forklift supplier, who has previously worked with some of the country's largest forklift users. He believes that the Yorkshire area has missed out on one of the world's leading materials handling equipment brands over the last decade following the acquisition of previous family-owned dealerships.

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Jason Reynolds, founder and director at Endeavour Forklifts, said: "We're already re-establishing the Mitsubishi brand in the area, particularly as we have significant backers that have helped us to invest in premises and a brand new short term hire fleet. Between us, we have over 100 years' experience, working for some of the largest forklift companies in the business. We know what works, and what doesn't.

"We have hand-picked a team of highly skilled engineering and sales staff to ensure we provide our customers the very best support. The ten-strong team already have their eye on future expansion, with a plans to recruit up to ten new staff members over the next five years."

Founded in the 1930s in Japan, Mitsubishi forklift sales took off following a joint venture with Caterpillar Inc. in the 1990s. Today it is part of the Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift Co., Ltd which was created in a merger in 2013 with a market capitalisation of ¥4.89 billion and 5,000 employees. It has an annual production capacity of 75,000 units.

Over 30 new Mitsubishi units have already been delivered to Endeavour for immediate short-term hire. Pictured is Ken Jackson, sales manager at the new Rotherham site.

Endeavour Forklifts website

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News: AMPlify on the AMP

Developers, Harworth Estates are preparing for the next commercial development at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham - AMPlify, 460,000 sq ft of space at the UK's centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing.

The developers are transforming a reclaimed former industrial site at Waverley into a thriving new 740 acre development which includes the AMP - dubbed "the elite "Mayfair" address for advanced manufacturing."

Industrial space on the AMP is in high demand. Harworth's Evolution development - a 87,500 sq ft development that was then fully-let - sold for £7.2m in 2012. Since then, the first phase of the R-evolution development was brought forward, securing occupiers X-Cel Superturn, Maher, Nikken Kosakusho Europe and Metalysis.

The second phase, which includes a further 73,000 sq ft of space and was approved in April, has interest from an international company involved in advanced manufacturing.

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Harworth has spent the past 18 months preparing development platforms for future occupiers on an adjacent 25 acres of land. AMPlify has the potential to deliver 465,000 sq ft of new employment space. This includes plots for units ranging from 25,000 sq ft to circa 200,000 sq. ft and will build on the award-winning scheme's success by offering Design & Build opportunities aimed at high-value advanced manufacturers and their supply chains.

Buildings will be made available to occupy by way of freehold or leasehold interest and Harworth will also consider freehold sales of plots of serviced land between 1 and 25 acres in size to owner occupiers.

David Travis, associate director of business space at Harworth Estates, said: "AMPlify will offer some of the best design and build opportunities throughout Yorkshire and our decision to proceed with the development of new space at our adjacent R-evolution scheme will naturally support the expansion of some of the country's leading high-value companies.

"We look forward to welcoming further occupiers to the AMP, emphasising its place as a key commercial development within the Northern Powerhouse."

The scheme will be marketed by jointly appointed agents Knight Frank and Gent Visick and the site is located within an Enterprise Zone.

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There are nearly 1,000 people employed at the AMP, with the potential for over 2,000 new jobs to be created through further development.

Harworth Estates, which is based on its own flagship Waverley development, is a specialist in brownfield regeneration. It recently secured a further £2.5m loan for further development at the AMP from the Sheffield City Region's Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Fund. It is the last of the round of ERDF supported funds that support infrastructure works and the construction of premises.

Harworth Estates website

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News: Economic analysis needed on HS2 route change

An economic assessment has yet to be done on the new proposed route of the HS2 line through Rotherham, recommended changes to which came "out of the blue" earlier this month.

Construction on HS2, the high speed North to South rail link that aims to provide extra capacity to handle increasing demand, will begin during this Parliament and has been given a funding envelope of £55.7 billion in 2015 prices. It should reach Birmingham in 2026 and Manchester and Leeds by 2033.

The new option proposes that HS2 services between London and Sheffield would take a spur off the new north-south high speed line and travel directly to the existing Sheffield Midland station using the existing railway line. Instead of travelling into a new station at Meadowhall, the HS2 line to Leeds would travel east of Rotherham following the M1 and M18 before heading through the Dearne Valley.

The new recommendations would cut journey times on services heading to Leeds, York and Newcastle, and would also reduce the cost of the project by around £1billion.

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Kevin Barron MP, whose constituency includes affected areas of Wales, Aston, Ulley, Thurcroft, Bramley and Hellaby, believes the plan has been poorly thought through and is worried that an economic assessment has not been done for the route before publication.

Writing to the new Transport secretary, Mr Barron said: "I have been a long time supporter of HS2 as I believed that it would bring business and investment to areas that desperately need it, however it now appears that the areas that will receive the most will be the big cities.

"We are now left with a situation where we will have my constituency and others in South Yorkshire taking all the disruption but receiving none of the benefits. This cannot be right, I would urge you to ask HS2 to re-look at the plans and reinstate Meadowhall station which is much better for South Yorkshire as a whole."

A report by KPMG in 2013 estimated that HS2 at Meadowhall could add between £0.5 billion and £0.9 billion each year to the economic output of South Yorkshire and increase output in Rotherham by as much as £272m each year. The figures represented an increase of between 2.3% and 4.8% of Rotherham's GDP (the market value of all final goods and services produced) - the eleventh highest percentage increase of all 235 UK areas in the analysis.

One key statistic from the report is that the number of people who can reasonably access employment in South Yorkshire would increase by nearly 32% as a result of investment in an HS2 station at Meadowhall.

John Healey MP, whose constituency includes affected areas of Bramley and Ravenfield, said that the HS2 decision came out of the blue. Writing to concerned residents, he added: "I was dismayed to see the surprise new proposals to drop Meadowhall as South Yorkshire's HS2 stop. Instead, HS2 favours a loop into Sheffield using existing track, with the main track running through South Yorkshire, close to the M18 and up through the Dearne. The number one purpose of this change is clearly to cut costs and I fear the so-called spur line to Sheffield is simply a sop to the city.

"Clearly we now risk seeing the new high speed line to Leeds running right through South Yorkshire but not stopping in South Yorkshire or bringing any of the potential benefits to our area."

Healey is set to meet with David Higgins, the chairman of HS2 who published the recommended changes, next week.

The areas of Rotherham expected to be affected by the new route are discussed here. An information event is planned for Aston today.

The Secretary of State for Transport is considering David Higgins' report in detail and will make an announcement on the full HS2 Phase 2 route later this year.

HS2 website

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News: Testing firm make Magna move

Element Materials Technology, a provider of testing for materials and products used in advanced industrial sectors, has relocated its laboratory from Sheffield to Rotherham.

Element Sheffield is one of the UK's leading, UKAS accredited metallurgical materials testing laboratory's that offers a comprehensive range of materials, mechanical and corrosion testing services to its clients within the oil & gas sector.

The firm has signed up to Unit 3 at Magna Way, Templeborough on a 15 year lease, as the firm relocates 40 staff from premises at Nursery Street, Sheffield.

Constructed in 2007, the premises incorporate 13,300 sq ft of warehousing space alongside 3,700 sq ft of office accommodation.

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Colliers International advised Element Materials Technology. The landlord was advised by Commercial Property Partners.

Rob Whatmuff, director, industrial & logistics, Colliers International, said: "Magna Business Park provides Element with more modern and efficient space from which to carry out its class leading processes and innovation for the oil, gas and aerospace industries – ensuring the safety and compliance of materials and products that are used in some of the world's most advanced industrial sectors. The move will allow Element to improve the efficiency of the business. The deal will also see the company's aerospace division being brought into the same facility, further increasing its range of capabilities."

Peter Woolston, general manager, Element Materials Technology, added: "The current lack of Grade A supply meant that finding the ideal property was extremely challenging but Unit 3 Magna Business Park fitted our requirement criteria exactly and provides us with a modern, efficient building within which we can grow and showcase our products and innovation to our clients."

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The company was acquired by Bridgepoint from 3i Group for an undisclosed sum at the end of 2015. It has 34 laboratories in the US and 19 across Europe. It serves a longstanding customer base of over 10,000 aerospace, oil & gas and transportation companies worldwide. The business generates annual revenues of c.$290m.

Element works with its customers to ensure that the materials systems and products that are in use in some of the world's most advanced industrial applications are safe, comply with relevant industry standards and are fit for purpose. This involves testing a material, part, product or weld from a production line to destruction.

Element Materials Technology website

Images: Oliver Developments

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News: Thurcroft Colliery tip plans updated

Changes are being made to the restoration plans for Thurcroft Colliery in Rotherham that would result in the importation of 1.8 million cubic metres of waste.

Producing coal in continuous activity from 1913 until its closure in 1992, a range of activities were undertaken during the lifetime of the colliery including a coking plant and brickworks. By the early 1930s a railway track linked the colliery complex to the main railway and by 1947 the pit employed over 2,000 people.

Planning permission was granted in 1998 for an integrated landfill, coal recovery and subsequent reclamation operations of the 190 hectare site. Moving five million cubic metres of spoil from an area to the north of the site to yield approximately 400,000 tonnes of coal, it was also proposed to import approximately 3.75 million cubic metres of household and commercial waste at an estimated rate of circa 200,000 tonnes per annum.

Whilst coal recovery operations have taken place, no waste has been received at the Kingsforth Lane site for disposal and the restoration has not been completed. The site has attracted anti-social behavior.

Now FCC Environment, one of the largest waste management companies in the UK, is applying to extend the life of operations by ten years until 17th July 2026, with a further one year for restoration. It also wants to make changes to the restoration levels and to the type of waste imported to the site.

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The plans state: "The coal recovery operations have left a large void which was due to be restored to an acceptable landform through the importation of household and commercial waste. Due to nation-wide decline in household and commercial waste inputs to landfill, and the surplus availability of alternative local landfill provision, there has been no importation to date and thus the area remains unrestored.

"It is recognised that there is a need to undertake some engineering works at the site to deliver an acceptable, safe and sustainable final restoration scheme."

Following initiatives by national and local governments to reduce the volume of waste going to landfill, the applicants have investigated alternative options to provide a long term sustainable landform.

It is now being proposed to import 1.8 million cubic metres of "low risk materials" such as soils, construction and demolition waste.

Ten "cells" would be engineered and filled that would both occupy a smaller footprint than that previoulsy agreed; and would result in a final restoration level which is up to 29 metres lower than that currently consented. The proposed landform would be "markedly less visible from the surrounding area when compared to the approved scheme."

Waste disposal operations would be limited to 0700 to 1900 hours Monday to Saturday and 0700 to 1700 hours on Sundays with waste monitored in accordance with both the planning permission and Environmental Permit in place.

DEFRA has conversion factors for demolition and construction waste and rock and stone as 1.2 tonnes per cubic metre. This would mean that the importation of 1.8 million cubic metres is equivalent to 2.16 million tonnes.

Based on typical 20 tonne HGV payloads, the applicants estimate 55 HGV trips per day (55 in and 55 out) to access the site. It is also anticipated that approximately six full time members of staff would be employed throughout the ten year extension period.

When the importation of waste is complete, the Green Belt site would be restored to species rich grassland and woodland.

The plans come at the same time as plans are updated for the restoration of Maltby Colliery. Across the borough, Grange Landfill Ltd was granted a variation to an existing permit to reopen the tip off Droppingwell Road, Kimberworth by the Environment Agency. It allows for the importation of inert waste for disposal and restoration of 205,000 tonnes a year.

Images: FCC Environment

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News: Rotherham school's enterprise education "firsts"

Wath Comprehensive School in Rotherham has scored two "firsts", being the first school and having the first teacher to achieve new enterprise awards in Yorkshire.

The school has recently achieved NESA (The National Enterprise School Award) recognition and the school's enterprise coordinator and languages teacher, Jen Wall, has been recognised with a National Enterprise Teacher Award (NETA).

The school is part of the Enterprise Adviser Network and started undertaking the quality awards as part of their strategy to develop and quality assure their provision.

John Marsden, Head of Careers at Watch Comprehensive School, said: "It's important to us that young people at Wath have a range of enterprise learning opportunities, inside and outside of the curriculum, that support them to develop the skills and qualities needed in the world of work and business and to inspire them about careers and industries in the region. Achieving these two awards is not only fantastic recognition for our approach in school and Jen's hard work personally, it has also been a valuable process which has supported us to reflect on where we are, and plan for the future."

Gary Durbin, Head of Enterprise Village and developer of the national awards, said: "The submissions were really strong and demonstrated the breadth and depth of what was being achieved in terms of enterprise practice and provision."

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The national Enterprise Advisers programme, sees volunteers from the world of work and business team up with schools to increase the quality and quantity of careers and enterprise learning for young people.

After being one of five pilot areas that helped to develop the scheme last year, the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) wants to match a volunteer Enterprise Adviser from the business and public sector with every secondary and special school and college in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

Enterprise Advisers will help schools and colleges to prepare young people for future jobs and careers, develop a whole school strategy for careers, enterprise and employer engagement and link them to local business contacts and networks.

The proposal builds on the considerable experience and success seen within several districts. For example, Rotherham schools have been fortunate enough to receive considerable support through the Rotherham Ready programme.

Wath's enterprise adviser is Jo Hanman from Capita. She said: "It's great news for the school, and important for the students, staff and community to know that what's being developed is really good quality. It's a proud moment that they're the first in Yorkshire to get both awards!"

Wath Comprehensive School website
Sheffield City Region Enterprise Adviser Network website

Images: SCREnterprise Adviser Network

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News: Summer Santa at Carlton Park

Staff at the Carlton Park Hotel in Rotherham have been getting into the festive spirit this month as the Rotherham venue launches its Christmas brochure and raises money for charity at the same time.

As part of the festivities, Carlton Park Hotel's very own Summer Santa and elves has been visiting businesses in Rotherham, delivering culinary goodies and more.

As well as awakening Santa and providing him with an early holiday in Rotherham, generous staff at the hotel raised funds for Cash 4 Kids by donning Christmas clobber and accessories, donating to the charity for doing so.

In the kitchen, Head Chef Paul Spruce featured a festive dish each day on the evening menu between July 15 and 22 as well as offering all guests to the hotel's reception a complimentary mince pie.

Hotel residents were encouraged to take part in Pound on the Pillow; a fundraising initiative where a pound is left on the pillow of the guest and donated to Cash for Kids.

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Jason Gossop, sales manager at Carlton Park Hotel, said: "Christmas is an exciting and busy time for everyone, but more so for the hotel industry. We start putting our Christmas brochure together at the start of the year, so our staff are always in the festive mood!

"Carlton Park Hotel is known for providing quality food and entertainment throughout the year, and things are always spiced up during the Christmas period! We have a range of events taking place throughout December for people of all ages; from tribute lunches, which will see the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton and Cilla Black entertaining guests over a classic Christmas lunch, to child friendly breakfasts with Anna, Elsa and Olaf from Frozen. For party lovers, our "All Inclusive" dinner and discos will return once again.

"It's also important to us to give back to the local community, which is why we want to raise funds for Cash for Kids, a charity we have supported since April last year. Our staff and guests have big hearts and stop at nothing to raise funds for local charities, whilst helping to make Christmas a special time for children and families across South Yorkshire."

The independently-owned hotel on Moorgate Road, close to the town centre, has 80 bedrooms as well as a restaurant and bar, conference and meeting rooms and a gymnasium and spa.

Cash 4 Kids was originally launched by Hallam FM as Help a Hallam Child in the early 1970s and was renamed Cash for Kids in 2008. A grant giving charity for South Yorkshire, it supports individual children, groups and children's charities where children are sick, deprived and in need of extra support.

Carlton Park Hotel website

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News: Updated theme park plans out for consultation

Updated plans for the £37m Gulliver's Family Theme Park resort adjacent to Rother Valley Country Park are going on show before they are submitted later this year.

Gulliver's, the operators of theme parks in Warrington, Matlock Bath and Milton Keynes developed an initial masterplan for the first of their sites in the UK to encompass all their major family entertainment elements in one location with new attractions exclusive to Rotherham.

As a result of comments received at the pre-application public consultation on the development proposals and information gained during Gulliver's due diligence exercise that identified potential ground contamination on the site of the former Brookhouse Colliery known as Pit House West, Gulliver's submitted a revised proposal to the Council to buy a reduced area of the site (approximately 250 acres rather than the full 330 acres).

Consultation events have now been planned so that the local community can see the latest masterplan, which will still provide essentially the same scheme as previously consulted on albeit over a different development area. For example, the main theme park area is set to be relocated from the North West to the centre of the site, with the entrance now at the East of the site on Mansfield Road rather than Chesterfield Road.

The proposals for a year round destination aimed at 2 - 13 year olds include a theme park hub, woodland adventure centre, ecology and education centre, camping, up to 300 lodges, a hotel and holiday village. Expected to be built in four or five phases over 12 years, the theme park would come first and further developments would follow afterwards.

The development is expected to be funded through business profits with no borrowing requirements. When it is up and running there are likely to be 400 jobs at the park, a number that was likely to increase. Hundreds of jobs would be created through the construction period which is set to be sustainable and done by in-house and local suppliers.

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A statement from the family company said: "Gulliver's are working towards regenerating the Pit House West site and creating a brand new family theme park resort. The development will incorporate a theme park hub, guest accommodation and community facilities. We'll be hosting a consultation event for the local community so please feel free to drop by and meet the team."

Events are planned for August 2 at Aston Library and Customer Service Centre in the afternoon and Kiveton Park & Wales Village Hall in the evening.

The initial masterplan showed that the theme park would have attractions and rides including Gulliver's Castle, a log flume, rapids, pirate ship, mine train, JCB zone and adventure play areas.

Gulliver's Glade Adventure Park would include rock climbing, a mud slide, a toboggan run and treetop rides. A castle hotel with 50 bedrooms, lodges and tents are also included along with a Wilderness area with a second hotel with 90 bedrooms and a spa, plus further lodges.

Other zones include Gulliver's Jurassic Safari Park with themed lodges; Gulliver's Gears Theme Park with motorbike coasters and a drop tower; Gulliver's Farm Park; and the Dream Village concept offering specially designed and adapted accommodation for seriously and terminally ill children and children with special needs.

Other features include a mountain bike trail, a maize maze, Segway track, space for "glamping," open and group camping zones close to the country park and a pet resort.

The land sale has been approved by commissioners at the Council and will be dependent on securing planning permission. The latest agreement includes conditions that specify that a planning application from Gulliver's must be submitted by September 2016.

The excluded area at the North West of the site will now be retained by the Council.

Gulliver's Valley website

Images: Gulliver's / Facebook

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News: Rotherham Premier Inn extension plans checked in

A planning application has been submitted for an extension to the existing Premier Inn hotel in Rotherham to provide an extra 21 bedrooms.

Part of Whitbread plc, Premier Inn is the UK's biggest hotel brand. With 700 hotels in the UK and 59,000 rooms, the company's ambition is to have 85,000 rooms by 2020.

The site at Brecks includes the existing Premier Inn Hotel and Beefeater restaurant with landscaping and car parking spaces. The hotel provides 67 bedrooms and the restaurant provides 144 seats for customers.

The hotel dates back to 1991 and in 2006 the Council approved planning permission for the development of a three storey extension to the original premises.

Now plans are back on the table. Drawn up by Walshingham Planning they propose the construction of a new three storey extension to the existing main block on an area comprising car parking in the eastern part of the site. The materials and style of the extension proposed will replicate the existing hotel and boost the total number of rooms to 88.

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The plans state: "Whitbread has recognised a requirement for additional rooms in the area. The existing hotel is one of the group's best performing facilities in the region, as measured by occupancy and turn-away data.

"The provision of additional visitor accommodation at this brownfield site will therefore substantially improve the quality and offer of the town's visitor economy, for which there is an identified demand.

"The proposed extension will create new jobs, both during the construction phase and in the form of additional hotel/restaurant staff in reception, room maintenance, building maintenance and security that would be required as a result of a net additional 21 bedrooms at the site."

For the 2015 / 16 financial year, revenue for Whitbread's hotel and restaurant business was up 9.8% to £1.8 billion. Premier Inn grew total sales by 12.9% to £1.2 billion, with like for like sales growth of 4.2% as the group invested £165m on refurbishments and hotel enhancements.

Plans for a £9m 80-bed Premier hotel and restaurant at Templeborough were recommended to be refused by the council's planning board in 2012, in a bid to protect Rotherham town centre.

Premier Inn website

Images: Premier Inn

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News: Closure date for Rotherham BHS store

The BHS store in Rotherham will close at the end of July after liquidators were brought in by administrators who have so far failed to find a suitable buyer for the national retailer.

The Parkgate store has been in "close-down sale mode" since the appointment of liquidators in June.

BHS Group Ltd was acquired by Retail Acquisitions Ltd in March 2015 from the Acardia group. The department store operates some 164 outlets in the UK and was acquired by Sir Philip Green's Arcadia in May 2000.

In the same month it denied that a list of 52 stores were those being considered for disposal. The list included BHS stores at Parkgate Shopping in Rotherham and at Meadowhall in Sheffield.

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Working with restructuring professionals at KPMG, the owners announced details in March this year of a proposed company voluntary arrangement (CVA) which divided BHS's 164 store portfolio into three main categories, based on the commercial viability and strategic importance of each site.

Administrators, Duff & Phelps confirmed that all stores are closing as part of an "orderly wind-down" of the business. Closure dates for 50 stores were confirmed this week.

Dave Gill, national officer at Usdaw, the trade union for the retail sector, said: "This is terrible news for the staff in the 30 stores affected, on top of the 20 stores that are closing this Saturday. Our hope is that other retailers, including Sir Phillip Green's Arcadia group, will offer employment to these experienced, dedicated and loyal staff who suddenly find themselves unemployed.

"At the same time we are aware that the administrators are continuing to seek a buyer, who will hopefully be able to secure the future of the staff in the remaining stores.

"We remain concerned that there is still no news from Sir Phillip since he promised to "sort" the pension scheme and we wait to hear details of what he proposes. In the meantime we are providing the support, advice and representation our members require at this difficult time."

BHS has seen its profitability decline as it has sought to respond to changing customer behaviours, increased competition and the rise in omni-channel retailing. It also has a reported pension defect of £571m.

The Work and Pensions and Business, Innovation and Skills Committees have been taking evidence as part of their respective inquiries into the BHS pensions, sale and acquisition.

Images: Parkgate Shopping

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News: Countdown to clock in at Rotherham Hospice

In seven weeks' time, Rotherham Hospice hopes to have an entire town of "volunteers" clocking in.

The only adult hospice in Rotherham for the people of Rotherham, Rotherham Hospice is an independent charity and must raise significant sums of money each year in order to pay for the quality care provided free of charge to patients, their families and carers. The charity needs £5m a year with £2.2m needed to be raised each year through voluntary support.

It is calling on every company in Rotherham to Clock In For The Hospice on September 9 - its 20th anniversary. The workforce will be fundraising like never before in the hospice's 20-year history - with a £100,000 target to smash.

Staff can work in the virtual sense for the hospice - by donating a portion of that day's wages. The payroll-giving campaign could be the biggest fundraiser ever achieved by the town's centre of excellence in palliative care.

Companies throughout the borough are being urged to sign up.

Rotherham businessman Darren Baker (pictured, far left), said: "Sign your company up to the Clock In For The Hospice campaign on September 9 and you and your staff can work in the virtual sense for the hospice by donating a portion of that day's wages.

"This brilliant idea means people can dedicate a few hours - or even a whole day - to the hospice without having to step out of work."

Darren knows first-hand how effective - and easy to implement - the payroll-giving scheme is. Earlier this year his three businesses trialled the fundraising scheme - and raised £5,000 in a matter of hours.

All 30 of his staff at JB Doors at Parkgate and its sister companies, garage door manufacturer Alluguard and Wickersley's Olive Tree restaurant, got involved and gave up between two hours and a full day of pay. They raised a total of £2,500 and he matched the sum.

Darren added: "I couldn't believe how simple it was to raise such a large amount of money. The MDs, Gary Brooks and Andy Marshall, got right behind it, called our event Donate A Day For Cancer and gave every employee a sheet on which they could tick a box to donate one hour, two hours, half a day or a full day, or not take part at all. Not one person ticked the last box, which made me so proud."

Darren, a well-known charity supporter who over the last ten years has raised over £350,000 For Weston Park Cancer Charity by organising an annual black tie ball, added: "Every company in Rotherham should sign up to the Clock In campaign. It is an organisation every single one of us might need one day."

His call for support is echoed by hospice chief executive Christopher Duff (pictured, far right) who said: "People don't have to down tools and walk through our doors to be able to join our volunteers. All they have to do is donate some of their net September 9 earnings. Their employers give us the amount that would have been paid in tax and National Insurance."

Rotherham Hospice website

Images: Rotherham Hospice

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News: Plans in for Rotherham waste to energy centre

A planning application has been submitted for a new renewable energy centre in Rotherham that would convert 215,000 tonnes of waste a year into energy using new forms of gasification technology.

Rolton Kilbride is hoping to operate the facility on the former Sterecycle site that is adjacent to the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Templeborough.

Not an incinerator or an autoclaving plant like Sterecycle, the new development would use an Advanced Conversion Technology "gasification" process that heats the residual waste to very high temperatures, causing the materials to break down whilst also generating a gas, which when burnt off in a boiler, creates energy.

The Renewable Energy Centre (REC) would recover heat and power and also include a Mechanical Treatment Facility (MTF) for the recovery of recyclable materials with the associated plant and infrastructure and landscaping located within land off Sheffield Road.

If approved, the centre would create 42 full time equivalent jobs.

The REC would have the capacity to generate up to 23 megawatts (MW) of exportable electricity - the equivalent of powering over 40,000 homes on a continual basis. The plant is capable of accepting approximately 215,000 tonnes of waste per annum which would otherwise go to landfill.

Rolton Kilbride is a distributed energy company that builds embedded power and heat generation assets for high energy use businesses, communities and large-scale development projects. Kilbride Infrastructure is backed by Cracknore Investment, a company that has extensive experience in developing and funding projects within the transport and energy infrastructure. The Rolton Group is a firm of advisors and designers specialising in the areas of built environment, renewables and carbon.

Combining in 2013, the joint venture plans to build energy from waste plants across the UK. The generation of power from these plants will lower costs for high-energy users and councils looking to dispose of non-recyclable waste.

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The application includes a lengthy environmental statement covering traffic impacts, noise, air quality and flood risk, which will be assessed by council officers.

The proposed development involves the demolition of the current buildings to be replaced by 145,000 sq ft of new buildings as part of an an energy plant and associated ancillary buildings. This would include a mechanical treatment plant with a reception and tipping hall; a 45 metre-high gasification and boiler building with a 100m flue stack located next to the gasification unit; and a steam turbine building. A smaller building containing office and workshop units is also planned.

The system has been designed to the requirements of the pre-requisite Environmental Permit which would be issued, monitored and enforced by the Environment Agency.

The plans, drawn up by the Pegasus Group, state: "The proposed facility will have the capacity to process up to 215,000 tonnes of non-hazardous residual waste per annum; that is waste that is left following the practicable removal of recyclable materials (i.e. pre-treated waste) and that may otherwise be disposed of at a landfill site or exported to a similar facility abroad.

"It is anticipated that the proposed REC is expected to generate a total of 126 HGV trips per day (63 in / 63 out). The REC is to be designed to operate continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week but in terms of deliveries it is anticipated that during weekdays the facility will be open for deliveries between the hours of 07:00 and 19:00.

"The facility will employ circa 42 full time equivalents directly employed over three shifts and a further ten staff providing specialist services from local businesses."

Applicants are hoping to secure planning permission by the end of 2016 so that they can apply for the Government's Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. The CfD scheme enables the developers of qualifying projects to gain an index linked, government backed, revenue for 15 years. Applicants also hope that construction will take place from 2017 to 2020.

The new centre would be close to the Templeborough Biomass Power Plant project, the £150m, 41MW plant that is currently under construction.

Rolton Kilbride website

Images: Rolton Kilbride / Pegasus Group

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News: Lessons from Rotherham

Sir Keith Burnett, vice-chancellor and president at The University of Sheffield has used a column in a national publication to explain why the institution's activities in Rotherham might offer many lessons for the Government's new education team.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the University's Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) is a world-class centre for advanced machining and materials research for aerospace and other high-value sectors.

In a comment piece for Times Higher Education Burnett discusses what universities can do to engage working-class people and "the missing part of the puzzle" - the AMRC Training Centre where 650 apprentices are expected to make use of the state of the art facilities in Rotherham during the next academic year.

Since taking on its first 140 apprentices in autumn 2013, the £20.5m Training Centre has grown rapidly into an award-winning centre of excellence with over 400 employed-status apprentices. But getting it off the ground was not easy due to a lack of funds and a suspicion of starving the rest of the university of resources.

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Sir Keith told the magazine: "I was on the verge of giving up when I talked to the UK's advanced manufacturing guru, Keith Ridgway. Like me, he came from a working-class background in an industrial area and still had family for whom universities were a world apart. He explained to me that an important opportunity had come up. Rolls-Royce was building a new turbine blade factory alongside our AMRC in Rotherham, and local companies were concerned they would mop up the skilled people.

"Keith said the university could build a new apprentice centre to train a new generation of "Top Gun apprentices". This new generation, trained in the most advanced environment of its type, designed with the future of advanced manufacturing in mind, would have jobs with local and global companies.

"They would not be students, taking on debt. They would be employed – but with the scope to go further. It would be true access.

"Why would a university do this? Because we can.

"And in the new era of education and industrial strategy, of a country divided in its opportunity, we simply must. We can link the future careers of young people with the real demands of present day companies to be part of the future of industry. We who have the advantage of drawing on world-class scholarship, and can link apprentices to a "Russell Group of companies" and their supply chains. I thought it was our duty to get in there. So we did."

The AMRC hosted a popular "Get Started with Product Design" alongside the Prince's Trust this week. Made possible by AMRC partner, Boeing, the Trust's programme is running twice in 2016 following its hugely successful pilot last year. The five-day programme is a personal and social development training programme, focussed on manufacturing, targeted to 16-25 year olds who are not in education, training or employment.

Burnett added: "I love to invite people to visit Rotherham and see this transformation for themselves. Again and again, people are surprised at the quality and potential of what lies before them. This is not a second rate future. It is aspirational and flash. Apprentices with talent can go on to degrees and beyond. It is truly allied to world-leading research and it attracts the best."

AMRC Training website

Images: AMRC

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News: Distributor deal for Ashton Seals

Ashton Seals Ltd, based in Rotherham, has been appointed as a distributor for Parker Prädifa, a global leader in the field of designing, developing and manufacturing sealing systems.

Part of the Ashton Group and with a site at Cortonwood, Ashton Seals is a leading supplier of O-Rings, bonded seals and associated sealing products.

Parker Prädifa, develops and manufactures components made from polymer materials used in the automotive engineering, chemical processing, oil and gas, and aerospace industries.

The parties believe that the agreement will provide Ashton Seals' customers with access to the full range of products and technical support network of Parker Prädifa.

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Zoë Fearnley, managing director of Ashton Seals, said: "As a leading supplier of sealing and engineering solutions we are thrilled to enhance our existing product portfolio with the support of Parker Prädifa."

Andy Hine, regional sales manager for North Europe at Parker Prädifa, added: "Parker Prädifa are excited to announce this partnership with Ashton Seals, an agreement that will enable us to expand our reach into additional markets."

Thomas A Ashton Ltd, trading as the Ashton Group, celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. It began life in 1866 as Thomas A. Ashton trundled his handcart through the cobbled streets of Sheffield and district delivering wares, mainly paraffin.

The company grew as it supplied the booming industrial sector from its Norfolk Street premises and it became a household name. By 1966 Ashtons was one of the largest stockists of hydraulic seals in the country, carrying millions of seals in many ranges.

In 1999 Ashton Seals relocated from Sheffield to a modern purpose-built site at Cortonwood Business Park in the Dearne Valley where three subsidiaries of the group now employ around 80 staff.

Ashton Seals website

Images: Ashton Seals

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News: Tata Speciality Steel targets value over volume

When I'm in my back garden I can sometimes hear the scrap being loaded into the furnace at Tata Steel's Aldwarke site. This week I was lucky enough to find out what happens to it on its journey to becoming high grade speciality steel.

The South Yorkshire sites make up part of Tata's Speciality Steels business which now employs around 1,700 people. The Indian-owned steelmaker recently decided on a separate process for the potential sale of the business and opened the doors to its steelworks to the media as a showcase for what potential buyers would get.

Speciality Steels is not considered a downstream business linked to Port Talbot and strip products. It is Tata Steel Europe's only Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) based business and produces steel, predominantly stainless and low alloy grades, that is used in landing gear and aircraft engines including the landing gear of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

It has a £275m turnover with a reported £81.4m pre-tax loss in the year to March 2016 expected to become a £32.9m profit by the end of its 2018-19 financial year.

Lianne Deeming, recently installed as managing director of the speciality steels business, explained that this year's target output is 209,000 tonnes. A long way short of Aldwarke's previous 800,000 capacity and a world away from 18 million tonnes of steel a year that was once produced at nearby "Steelos."

But Deeming explained how the division was making use of its expertise and the serious investment in South Yorkshire in recent years to target the high value sectors over high volume. The operations produce some of the best carbon, alloy and stainless steels for demanding applications like aerospace, motorsports, industrial engineering and oil and gas. Customers include Roll-Royce, GE and Liebherr.

On our way round the steelworks we saw how value was added to the products with techniques such as vacuum degassing, ensuring that the purity of the steel met the needs of demanding applications that call for steel to be high strength but light weight. Samples were taken from the molten steel and whizzed off to the lab, tested and returned in minutes.

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Investment in 2005 saw the Rotherham site at Aldwarke become the focus for steel making, casting and rolling of specialist steels. The steel is manufactured here before undergoing further refining at the Stocksbridge plant or the Thrybergh Bar Mill to improve the quality.

And it all comes from scrap metal - around 1.5 million tonnes a year. On our visit, a shiny pile had been delivered from the production line of Jaguar Land Rover, another Tata-owned UK business.

The visit also provided the opportunity to speak with staff as the prospect of another change in ownership hangs over the operations. Tata Steel completed the deal to buy Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus in 2007.

Steve Allard, works manager in South Yorkshire, said: "I would say it is unsettling but we have got a business we are proud of. All we can do is concentrate on what we can affect and put the work in to put ourselves in the best possible position.

"We are becoming more and more specialised whereas Tata Steel has a large presence in flat products. We may end up becoming part of a group focused on speciality aerospace steel which would provide great potential for us."

Allard added that Tata had invested significantly in the business, evidenced by the new £15m Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnace at its Stocksbridge site that is currently in the commissioning phase.

The entire melting and casting operation is conducted in an oxygen-free atmosphere, resulting in clean steel with very low gas content. It followed a £6.5m investment in aerospace steel production in 2012, including two new Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) furnaces at Stocksbridge, which boosted output of these steels by 30% and safeguarded the South Yorkshire jobs.

If the steel already produced in South Yorkshire is considered to be high specification, the steel produced in the new VIM furnace, used in aircraft engines and components, is considered "ultra high specification." When it comes into full production later in the year it will produce just 3% of the division's output but is another indication of the quest for value over volume.

Tata Steel Europe website

Images: Tom Austen

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