News: Pricecheck on Beighton Link

Award-winning Sheffield firm, Pricecheck Toiletries could put its expansion plans into action from new premises at Beighton Link Business Park in Rotherham, as it gets set to boost staff numbers to 150.

Founded in Sheffield in 1978, the firm supplies value retailers and pharmacies in Europe, Asia and Australasia. Its wide range of branded toiletries, fragrances and household goods includes Gillette, Clearasil and Airwick.

It won the Queen's Award for International Trade 2015 for continuous and cumulative overseas export earnings growth of 283% over six years, from £3m in 2009, to £12m in 2014.

Moving to 100,000 sq ft premises at Brightside Lane in 2001, the company's success has translated into more jobs for the local area, with staff numbers increasing from 32 to 71. Local suppliers and haulage firms have also benefitted from the growth.

Now a planning application has been submitted that would enable Pricecheck to take on the 113,000 sq ft state of the art building at Beighton Link, just over the border in Rotherham.

The building was previously Sandvik's European Centre of Excellence (SECoE), a £4m facility that opened in 2010 and brought together all the finish processing and supply management activities for the production of medical products from Sandvik's Sheffield facilities. The site was acquired by American contract medical design and manufacturing firm, Orchid, in 2012.

The property has been marketed by Deloitte.

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After winning the Queen's Award, Priceheck said that moving to new premises would facilitate further growth. The firm said: "The new premises will allow us to double our turnover from £40m to an anticipated £80m, and increase staff numbers to 150 over a five year period. Winning the Queen's Award will enhance our reputation worldwide and will help us to achieve our ambitious growth plans."

If approved, the plans would see a change of use of the existing building from B1 light industry to B8 storage and distribution.

Pricecheck hope to be in new premises by January 2016 and add that it will "provide the perfect platform for our planned growth, additional product categories and increased staff numbers."

Brother-and-sister team Mark Lythe and Deborah Harrison, now run the firm founded by their parents.

Pricecheck is a Youth Friendly Employer and works closely with the Sheffield Universities, employing placement students and graduates.

Pricecheck Toiletries website

Images: Deloitte

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News: Orchid blooms in Rotherham

American contract medical design and manufacturing firm, Orchid, is expanding its Rotherham workforce after seeing a surge in international orders for high quality medical devices.

Orchid Orthopedic Solutions is a worldwide leader in the contract design and manufacture of implants, instruments and innovative technologies for the orthopedic, dental and cardiovascular markets.

A transaction with Sandvik was completed in 2012 to acquire Sandvik Medical Solutions (SMS), a major contract manufacturer in the medical sector.

The deal included the Swedish firm's 112,500 sq ft facility at Beighton Link Business Park in Rotherham. The £4m centre opened in 2010 and produces and finishes castings and forgings as well as machined implants, instruments and cutting tools. It also included an area dedicated to rapid production and prototyping for the development and manufacture of orthopedic implants, instruments and medical material.

Employing more than 250 people across the region, the business has recently appointed two senior site operations managers, through Rotherham-based manufacturing recruitment experts, Elevation; part of its commitment to delivering excellence across its product range, as well as on-going international growth.

Founded in 1973, the medical devices manufacturer is now recruiting experienced quality engineers to work across both its Beighton Link machining centre and its forge and cast facility near the Sheffield Parkway.

Dave Beighton, general manager at Orchid, said: "This is an exciting time for Orchid, following rapid expansion and growth across Europe and Asia in the last couple of years.

"We have a reputation spanning more than 40 years as a leader in orthopaedic manufacturing, helping our customers develop better products that improve patient quality of life. The roles we are now recruiting for further demonstrate our commitment to maintaining excellence in the medical devices that we manufacture - helping our customers develop better products that improve patient quality of life."

Ian Bruce, senior consultant - engineering and manufacturing at Elevation, said: "Due to an increasing number of international opportunities Orchid is now looking to expand its workforce; recruiting senior level operations experts and engineers, as well as CNC machinists, Linishers and other experienced shop-floor staff.

"Last month the business appointed two site operations managers to oversee their Sheffield sites, and we are working closely with the management team to put forward candidates for the quality engineer roles which will allow Orchid to continue to deliver excellence in product manufacturing to their clients worldwide."

Orchid website
Elevation website

Images: Orchid

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News: Brinsworth Academy supporting a new era

The Brinsworth Academy of Engineering in Rotherham has further developed its Employer Ready Apprenticeship (ERA) Framework.

The new ERA apprenticeship programme was developed in South Yorkshire and is designed to create a highly skilled breed of young engineers. The Templeborough training company took matters into its own hands, after local manufacturing and engineering employers advised that they were finding it extremely difficult to recruit skilled staff of the right calibre.

In response to input from local employers, the leading engineering and manufacturing training provider has updated the framework that provides 42 weeks of off the job training for apprentices in skills of machining and maintenance.

The apprentices, who are on average between 16 and 21 years of age, can now join the programme at differing points throughout the year, in order to fit with the increasing demands of production that is facing many of the employers in the sector.

Daniel Swift, employer engagement manager at Brinsworth Academy of Engineering, said: "We came up with this new model to cater for the needs of employers who want to have apprentices joining their business at any point during the year. The programme now has a staggered start throughout the year with courses starting every month as opposed to the traditional annual academic start in September. The content has been refreshed and new teaching methods have been applied in order to create a blended learning experience for the apprentice."

The programme covers machining (turning, manual, CNC, AutoCAD) and maintenance (mechanical and electrical). Both courses include health and safety and engineering principles. In contrast to other traditional study centres 80% of the time is spent on machines in the workshop with the remaining 20% spent on classroom based work.

Orchid Orthopedic Solutions (Sheffield) Ltd, which took over Sandvik's European Centre of Excellence in Rotherham, have worked with Brinsworth Academy of Engineering since 2006 and are one of the companies taking part in the programme. HR Manager, Julie Edwards said: "As a business we see apprentices as the future of our business and want to ensure they learn skills which translate into the workplace. We currently employ two people on the ERA course and find the structure of the course means that the apprentice is able to learn advanced skills which add value to the Company as soon as they commence work on site."

Brinsworth Academy of Engineering website
Orchid Orthopedics website

Images: Brinsworth Academy of Engineering

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News: Orchid acquire Sandvik's Rotherham facility

American contract medical design and manufacturing firm, Orchid, has taken over the state-of-the-art Sandvik European Centre of Excellence (SECoE) in Rotherham.

Orchid Orthopedic Solutions is a worldwide leader in the contract design and manufacture of implants, instruments and innovative technologies for the orthopedic, dental and cardiovascular markets.

A transaction with Sandvik was completed last month to acquire Sandvik Medical Solutions (SMS), a major contract manufacturer of medical implants and instruments for the orthopedic and dental markets.

The deal includes the Swedish firm's 112,500 sq ft facility at Beighton Link Business Park in Rotherham. The £4m centre opened in 2010 and brought together all the finish processing and supply management activities for the production of medical products from Sandvik's Sheffield facilities.

It has an area dedicated to rapid production and prototyping for the development and manufacture of orthopedic implants, instruments and medical material.

Part of Sandvik Venture, SMS had sales of 90 million USD in 2011 and comprised production units in US and UK with about 550 employees.

Anders Thelin, president of Sandvik Venture, said: "The divestment of Sandvik Medical Solutions is in line with our strategy to exit operations outside of the defined core businesses. There is a strong industrial logic in combining Orchid and Sandvik Medical Solutions and we are convinced that Sandvik Medical Solutions will have a positive development with its new owners."

Based in Holt, Michigan, Orchid provides innovative design and development, implant and instrument manufacturing, advanced machining, plastics technology, implant coatings and surface treatment, and packaging services.

The deal is expected to strengthen its significant influence in product offerings and customer service and create an operation responsible for approaching 30% of the world's orthopedic implants.

Mike Miller, CEO of Orchid, said: "Orchid is very pleased to have SMS and its employees join the Orchid team. Sandvik brings a global footprint and a high value expertise in casting, forging and machining of implants, and complex instruments to Orchid, allowing us to better serve our customers in the U.S., Europe, and Asia."

Altor, a private equity fund, acquired Orchid in 2011. Claes Ekström, board member in Orchid and partner at Altor Equity Partners AB, said: "The combination of Orchid and SMS will have a unique offering to its customers and become the leading orthopedic implant supplier globally. The acquisition also demonstrates Orchid's commitment to build a leader in a consolidating industry."

Orchid Orthopedic Solutions website

Sandvik website

Images: Sandvik

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