News: Spencer Fearn signs for Rotherham Titans

Rotherham businessman Spencer Fearn has joined the board of directors of Rotherham Titans, the town's rugby union team.

A former vice-chairman of East Stirlingshire Football Club, Fearn is the Managing Director of LikeSkills, a national organisation providing training opportunities for young people.

Rotherham born Fearn developed the company over the last eight years in London and the South East and LifeSkills is recognised as one of the leading Learning Providers in the UK. They opened a training centre at Enterprise House in the town centre over the summer offering employment and apprenticeship learning programmes.

Although historically a football man and a lifelong supporter of Sheffield Wednesday, Spencer has been enthused with standard of rugby and atmosphere at Clifton Lane and wished to become more actively involved with the Titans.

Nick Cragg, Titans Director said: "Spencer's experience in sport and affinity for Rotherham make him a worthy addition to the board.

"He has a set of skills and a network of contacts that can assist us in making off-field progress and I am delighted that he has chosen to put time and resources into the club."

LifeSkills is already a shirt sponsor at the club and Fearn will advise the club's executive staff on commercial matters.

Rotherham Titans website
Lifeskills website

Images: rotherhamrugby.co.uk

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News: New faces at Assured Fire and Security

Assured Fire and Security has welcomed four new faces to its expanding Rotherham team.

Alex Batish, who is 26 and lives in Doncaster, joins the Dinnington-based fire and security specialist as Financial Controller.



Previously with the Sheffield offices of PWC, Alex will be head of the company's finance department and will be working closely with Financial Director David Bradley.

"Alex's appointment will make us a more robust and efficient organisation and he will have a key role to play in our future growth," said Assured Managing Director Simon Stokes.

At the same time, the company has also taken on three new service and sales consultants.

Vince Modell and Gavin Pennington will both be working in the North West region while Darren Moulding will be developing new contracts in Sheffield and Yorkshire.

Assured Fire and Security website

Images: Assured Fire and Security

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News: AES acquires Ceetak Engineering Group

Rotherham-based AES Engineering Limited has acquired Bedford-based competitor, Ceetak Engineering Group.

The transaction was completed in September after the shareholders of Ceetak Engineering accepted an offer from AES to purchase all of the shares in Ceetak and its subsidiary companies, including Pump Support Systems Ltd.

Ian Wallace, Managing Director at Ceetak Engineering Limited, will continue to head up the business which employs in the region of 35 staff members around the UK. He has also joined the Board of AESSEAL plc.

The Templeborough company is the world's fourth largest mechanical seal business. They specialise in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals, bearing protectors and environmental control systems for process equipment, maximising reliability and protecting the environment from leakage.

The new division will be rebranded AESPUMP and specialise in the total management and support of pumps and other rotating equipment installed on applications ranging from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries to food and waste management.

Irwin Mitchell's corporate team concluded the deal. Kevin Cunningham, partner and head of the Irwin Mitchell corporate team in Yorkshire, who advised AES Engineering Limited on the deal said: "It is a pleasure to have supported AES in this bolt-on acquisition. Ceetak's pump support services are complementary to AES and will enable the formation of the AESPUMP division. This is the latest step in the AES expansion.

"Our knowledge of the mechanical seals and manufacturing sector meant that we were able to focus on the key issues to bring this deal to fruition to our client’s timescale."

The team of advisors from Irwin Mitchell consisted of Partner Kevin Cunningham, Associate Emma Garth and Solicitor Adrian Massey.

AES Engineering Limited is one of the major specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems. Its significant growth has enabled AES to become the only major international new entrant to the mechanical seals industry in the last twenty years.

AESSEAL website

Images: aesseal.co.uk

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News: Rotherham United community stadium planning decision

A decision is expected in November on the planning application for the Rotherham United's new community stadium.

The club submitted its formal outline planning application for the new 12,000 all-seater stadium in July and it is now going through the statutory consultation stage.

The location at the old Guest and Chrimes Foundry site has been subjected to intense clearing work over recent weeks and, once planning has been approved, the Millers can then look towards moving onto the development stages of finalising designs and the subsequent construction of their new home.

Chairman Tony Stewart, told the club's official site: "We have been working closely with the Council over several weeks since the application was submitted to work through all the issues.

"I have always maintained that as soon as we have any concrete information I will be in a position to release that detail and, with this in mind, I am delighted to inform all fellow Millers that the application is to be considered by the Council's planning board on the 25th November and I am confident that it will be received favourably."

An agreement between the council and the club for the lease of land on the Guest and Chrimes site has been reached in principle and is now being progressed legally.

Detailed plans and a reserved matters application considered in due course and the club hopes that the new stadium will be built for the start of the 2012/13 season.

Rotherham United website

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News: MGB Plastics delivers on new contract

Rotherham manufacturer, MGB Plastics has started the roll-out of over 50,000 new wheelie bins to homeowners across Kent and Hertfordshire as part of its latest contract win with the local councils in the area.

The contract will see MGB Plastics manufacture and deliver around 25,000 240L brown bins to Hertsmere Borough Council alongside a roll-out of 30,000 240L grey bins to Stevenage Borough Council.

It is the first time the company has worked with both councils to provide its wheeled bins and services. The first of the bins have already started to arrive at homes in the area.

The latest contract comes just weeks after MGB Plastics completed the delivery of over 250,000 240L wheeled bins direct to households across the North East in what is believed to be the largest wheeled bin contract in the UK in 2010.

Conor Sugrue, General Manager at MGB Plastics, said: "This is the first time we have supplied both Stevenage and Hertsmere councils and are delighted with how the partnership has worked.

"We will supply both authorities gradually and expect to complete the contract over the next month or so. All the 50,000 bins we are supplying have been made at our factory in Rotherham and as part of our commitment to sustainability all of them will contain some element of recycled content in there.

"The contract with Stevenage Borough Council is also unique in the sense that we will deliver the bins straight to thousands of homes in the area as part of the delivery service that we offer taking the hassle of delivery of such a large amount away from the local authority.

"This latest contract is further indication of the capabilities MGB has as a UK manufacturer and distributor."

As part of its unique delivery service, MGB will deliver wheeled bins to direct to households in Stevenage from its factory in Rotherham. The Hertsmere contract will be delivered straight to the council's depot.

Operating from a 5,000 sq m modern manufacturing facility on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate in Rotherham, MGB uses state-of-the-art equipment to ensure that only bins of the highest quality are produced.

MGB Plastics website

Images: MGB Plastics

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