News: Rotherham companies to inspire Britain

A number of Rotherham-based firms feature in the London Stock Exchange Group's "1000 Companies to Inspire Britain" report, which identifies the UK’s most dynamic and fastest-growing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

SMEs account for around 60% of employment and over 50% of turnover in the UK private sector. The companies featured in this year's report have recorded an annual average revenue growth rate of 41.2% and have generated more than 42,000 jobs in the two years to December 2019.

Manvers-based Bluetree Group has been picked out for special praise, given the way it has pivoted its print business to become a mask manufacturer. The company is the first in England to produce Meltblown, a filtration layer used in personal protection equipment.

Featuring in the report, Adam Carnell, a Director at Bluetree Group, said: "Over the past 12 months, we have invested over £18m into our production facility and recruited an additional 400 colleagues, doubling in size, enabling us to produce 20 million Type IIR masks per week."

Lighting manufacturer ASD Lighting is also featured. Based on Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, ASD has a reputation for innovation and quality and provides a range of products for domestic and commercial installations. The firm increased turnover by over £1m to £25m for the year ending June 2019. Profit before tax increased slightly to £3.8m.

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Another Rotherham firm featured is Empire Tapes, which is a manufacturer, rewinder and converter of adhesive tape. Based at Manvers, the company also includes Empire Tapes Plc - the UK's largest producer of technical tapes for the sports industry and seen around the world on the top figures in boxing.

Real estate company, Harworth Group PLC, is also in the report. Based close to its flagship Waverley development, the listed firm is a specialist in brownfield regeneration and has a £232.3m income-producing portfolio across the UK.

Pricecheck, an international wholesaler and distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, is also on the list. The company, which has its main warehouse facility at Beighton Link and further space at Manvers, recently achieved its ambitious target of £100m turnover by 2020. Trusted by the world's biggest brands, Pricecheck offers more than 6,000 branded products to customers in the UK and to more than 80 countries globally.

Another Rotherham business in the report is the Underwood Meat Company which is a catering butcher which also operates a number of its own retail outlets. For the year to October 2019, turnover had increased to £78m from £74m in the previous year.

Wilsons Carpets is the final Rotherham entry in the report. The growin firm has stores and warehouses that stock over 1 million square metres of flooring.

1000 companies website

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News: Underwoods takes further bite into southern market

The Underwood Meat Company, the Rotherham-based supplier of high quality fresh meat products to the catering industry, has completed the purchase of the Kent-based Manor Farm Sausage Company Limited for an undisclosed sum.

The company, which has its head office and a manufacturing facility on Rawmarsh Road, Rotherham and sites in Godalming in Surrey and in Chesterfield, provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

The Manor Farm Sausage Company trades as Norsted Manor Meats and is a specialist butchery business based in Orpington, Kent. The business is expected to complement Underwoods Meat Company's expanding southern operation.

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In 2013, a deal with Country Park Foods saw Underwoods acquire its Bramley Foods subsidiary. The deal resulted in Underwood Meat Company expanding into a new site on Chesterfield's Holmewood Industrial Park. In 2014, it acquired St Albans-based wholesale butcher business, Butlers, for an undisclosed amount.

Matt Ainsworth, corporate partner and real estate partner Tom Hall, both at the Sheffield office of law firm Irwin Mitchell advised Underwood Meat Company on the latest transaction.

Ainsworth said: "Underwood Meat Company is an exciting business which continues to grow both organically and through acquisition. The addition of the Manor Farm Sausage Company represents another excellent purchase for the company which will no doubt enable it to continue building both market share as well as its reputation for high quality products and customer service.

"Irwin Mitchell has built up a strong and close working relationship with Underwood Meat Company and we look forward to supporting the business in the future."

The Underwood Group is also expanding its retail operation with associated company, Underwood's Butchers Shop set to open a new store in Barnsley in August.

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News: Underwood makes another acquisition

Rotherham-based Underwood Meat Company Limited has completed its latest acquisition with the purchase of St Albans-based wholesale butcher business, Butlers, for an undisclosed amount.

Underwood Meat Company previously operated from two sites – at Rawmarsh Road in Rotherham, and Godalming in Surrey – and employs 150 people. From these premises, the company provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

Last year, the Sheffield office of Irwin Mitchell advised Underwood Meat Company on a deal with Country Park Foods which saw it acquire its Bramley Foods subsidiary. The deal resulted in Underwood Meat Company expanding into a new site on Chesterfield's Holmewood Industrial Park.

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Kevin Jones, finance director at Underwood Meat Company, said: "The Butlers business represents a great opportunity to expand our Godalming site, with a customer base which fits perfectly into our existing operation. Underwood Meat Company, with the Bramley Foods acquisition last year and the Butlers purchase this year, continues to grow, looking for the right opportunities to both compliment and develop our existing business model."

Matt Ainsworth, Corporate Partner at the Sheffield office of law firm Irwin Mitchell also advised Underwood Meat Company on the latest transaction.

Matt said: "Underwood Meat Company is an established and forward-thinking company which has continued to invest in its business and build market share. The newly acquired firm shares Underwood's high standard for quality, procurement and customer service and is a superb fit. I am delighted to support the company with this latest deal and wish the management team all the best in the future."

Underwood Meat Company website

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News: RCAT student cut out for apprenticeship

19 year old Mark Hammill from Rotherham has given computing the chop and is flourishing at The Underwood Meat Group's Northern Catering Business whilst completing an apprenticeship in butchery.

Underwood Meat Company operates from sites in Rotherham, Chesterfield, and Godalming in Surrey, and employs 150 people. From these premises, the company provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

With early starts, butchery can be a tough job, but Mark has stepped up to the challenge and is set to complete his apprenticeship in just over nine months.

Under the expert tuition of butchers at Northern Catering, Mark has learnt to butcher a range of meats including beef, chicken and pork. The Underwood's Group has its own farm in the Peak District National Park, with a commitment to source local produce and has over 35 years' experience.

Mark's been getting a broad variety of experience preparing meats to a range of chef's specifications varying in size, weight and cut. Mark has been working in the independent specific section of the business - Northern Catering Butchers.

In a world increasingly dominated by technology the ancient trade of butchery is in steady demand and Mark has found it offers a route into employment. He said: "I studied computing but there weren't too many jobs around so I started working at Underwood's and I really enjoy butchery."

Underwood Meat Group website

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News: Underwoods receive Sausage of the Year award

Underwood Meat Company in Rotherham has picked up the top award at the BPEX Foodservice Sausage of the Year competition for its tasty bangers.

Underwood Meat Company operates from two sites – in Rotherham, and Godalming in Surrey – and employs 150 people. From these premises, the company provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

From more than 230 sausage entries, its Pork and Chorizo Sausage was one of just fifteen selected by leading industry judges to battle it out in the competition's grand finale, which recently took place at London's prestigious Butchers' Hall.

The winning sausage, which was entered into the Speciality Pork Sausage category, scored highly on taste, texture and appearance and earned Underwood Meat Company the hotly contested "Overall Champion" title.

Emmanuel Crusiaux, international accounts manager at Underwood Meat Company, said: "To win first prize in the Speciality Pork Sausage category with our Pork and Chorizo Sausage is a fantastic achievement, but to scoop the "Overall Champion" title is tremendous!"

The Rawmarsh Road firm recently acquired and invested in a dedicated factory unit producing high quality chilled and frozen sausage and burgers for the catering, food service, retail and wholesale markets.

John Heeley, managing director at Underwood Meat Company (pictured above, left), said: "We are absolutely delighted the business has been awarded overall winner of the Food Service Sausage of the Year award for 2013 for the Pork & Chorizo sausage. This is one of the latest editions to the already award winning Prime Pork sausage range and supports the rationale for our recent investment in our dedicated sausage production facility in Chesterfield."

John is pictured with Toby Bennett, operations director being presented with the award by chef, Simon Rimmer, the face of British Sausage Week.

Underwood Meat website

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News: Underwood Meat Company complete acquisition

The Underwood Group, the Rotherham-based supplier of high quality fresh meat products to the catering industry, has further diversified its core business with the recent acquisition and investment in a dedicated factory unit producing high quality chilled and frozen sausage and burgers for the catering, food service, retail and wholesale markets.

Underwood Meat Company operates from two sites – in Rotherham, and Godalming in Surrey – and employs 150 people. From these premises, the company provides a wide variety of raw meat products to a range of blue-chip groups and independent catering customers throughout the UK.

The agreement with Country Park Foods has seen the Rawmarsh Road firm acquire the latter's Bramley Foods subsidiary in a deal that includes an 11,000 sq ft factory at Holmewood, Chesterfield.

A spokesperson for Underwood's said that the facility: "will provide a modern processing environment along with state of the art manufacturing equipment to enable the business to continue to support the growth in demand for quality sausages and burgers that we have experienced over the last two years, and importantly allow us to further develop these quality product ranges and extend our sales penetration into new markets."

The growing firm has also taken on Richard Mather as commercial manager who has overall responsibility for the Holmewood site.

Corporate and real estate lawyers at the Sheffield office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell advised Underwood Meat Company on the deal. Thomas Hall, a partner in Irwin Mitchell's Real Estate team, advised Underwood on the transfer of the Bramley Foods factory, while Matt Ainsworth, a partner in the law firm's Corporate team, advised on the acquisition aspects of the deal.

Thomas Hall, partner at Irwin Mitchell said: "This deal is major boost to Underwood Meat Company as it looks to expand and develop its operations in South Yorkshire.

"The acquisition of the company and property is a good news story for the region and highlights that even though times remain tough for many businesses, firms in good health are able to take advantage of growth opportunities. We're delighted to have been part of it."

Handlesbanken in Rotherham, led by Michael Harrison, supported Underwood Meat on the deal.

Underwood Meat Company website

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