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Recycling company creates 150 jobs in Grantham
EnvironCom England will help to create up to 150 jobs for local people after relocating to the Spittlegate Industrial estate in Grantham. Acting jointly with King Sturge, DTZ has let the 157,195 sq ft industrial unit to environCom England on a 15-year lease. The waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) de-manufacturing facility will be the largest in the UK. Bill Milliken, operations director of environCom England, said: “With new legislation imminent we predict huge growth in environmental disposal. We have just signed a five-year rolling contract with DSG International, the specialist electrical group that includes Currys, PC World and online retailers Dixons and Pixmania, to handle the group's recycling and reuse requirements in the UK. We needed to relocate our operations to plan for the expansion of the business and the Spittlegate industrial units give us this opportunity. We are investing significantly in plant and machinery, which will position environCom as one of the largest processors of WEEE in the UK. Grantham will be our flagship site and we have further plans to establish similar facilities across the UK.”
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Swiss family Synergy
Nottingham-based IT company Synergy has been sold to BBP, a subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed Fundtech, for £2.5m, which could rise to £3.6m depending on the performance of the company over the next three years. Although Synergy is wholly owned by BBP it will continue to operate as a separate, autonomous concern with chief executive officer Peter Sandhu represented on the BBP board. 
Monumental hooks Swordfish
Monumental Games of Nottingham has acquired Swordfish Studios, the Salford-based online gaming business with 26 staff, creating a combined group with more than 100 staff. Monumental has recently opened a studio in Pune, India. The studio has been established with the assistance of offshoring expert Quickstart Global, enabling Monumental to benefit from the talent pool in the Pune area.
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Vacuum pump company expands into East Midlands
International vacuum pump company Oerlikon Leybold Vacuums has expanded its UK arm and opened a second base for its 30-strong UK team at Rawdon Networkcentre in Moira, Leicestershire. The company, which supplies and maintains industrial vacuum pumps, has been operating for more than 150 years and has a global presence stretching from the US to China. In addition to its new Rawdon base there is another in London, which has been operating for more than 30 years.
Denby dishes up review
Ripley-based pottery maker Denby has appointed accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward to carry out a strategic review of the business, which may include a sale, new investment or merger. Denby chairman Nigel Clark said: “Denby has a long-term record of profitability and has just completed its September financial year-end with improved profitability and cash flow”. The group’s most recent set of published accounts indicate it made a loss of £3.8m on turnover of £39.4m in 2006 and had debts of £28.7m. The news comes just weeks after Royal Worcester was placed into administration by PwC.
Atkins builds on profits
Profits at professional services group WS Atkins, which has offices throughout the East Midlands, have risen 20 per cent to £48m in the six months to 30 September. Commenting on the results, Keith Clarke, chief executive of Atkins, said:
“These are strong results. While we remain attuned to the wider economic situation, the range of our business gives us continued confidence for the remainder of this year. Looking further ahead, our secure position allows us to continue to invest in carbon- critical design and our focus on excellence has positioned the company to respond with confidence to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Lawrence Automotive crashes out
Lawrence Automotive is to close its dashboards factory in Nottingham in December after 30 years trading, with the loss of 86 jobs. No-one from the business, which counted marques such as Saab among its customers, was available for comment.
Bombardier scoops top rail award
Derby trainmaker Bombardier has been named as the best company in the global rail market at a ceremony in London. The company has been named Company of the Year by Frost and Sullivan, a consultancy firm that helps companies improve growth. Patrick Rehlein, a research analyst at Frost and Sullivan, said: “Bombardier has acquired global leadership within the rail market, repeatedly exceeding a market share of 20 per cent. Design, development and manufacturing of a rolling stock portfolio at competitive rates have underpinned the company’s corporate success.”
Cartwright King rates highly in Chambers
East Midlands criminal and business defence law firm Cartwright King, which has offices in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester, has been highly rated in its specialist niche fields in the recently published Chambers UK Guide, which independently researches and ranks the UK’s legal profession. The Business Defence division of the firm was recognised nationally – the only one in the Midlands – for its business crime, and Cartwright King was particularly noted for its expertise in fraud matters, and for money laundering, confiscation and asset freezing and recovery cases. Individual business defence partners have also been praised: Lynn Bleakley for being “vastly experienced” and Mark Wilson for “heading the business defence team and being a supervisor on the Specialist Fraud Panel”. Michael Thurston is also mentioned for being “renowned for his fraud and corporate crime practice”.
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Milford Care expands in Belper
Milford Care, the Derbyshire care home provider, has launched Spencer Grove, its latest facility, which occupies the premises of the former Courtaulds hosiery factory in Belper. Alongside Spencer Grove, Milford Care Homes has developed 30 close care retirement apartments called Lady Well Views. Milford Care has just released the first apartments for viewing and the units at Spencer Grove will be available shortly. The Royal Bank of Scotland provided funding for the new schemes.
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New members for Emda board
Pat McFadden, minister of state for employment relations and postal affairs, has announced two appointments to the board of Emda. Councillor Jim Harker and Elizabeth Donnelly will take up their three-year appointments on 14 December 2008 until 13 December 2011. McFadden said: “I am delighted to be appointing James Harker and Elizabeth Donnelly to the RDA board for East Midlands. They will bring valuable experience and knowledge to the work of the RDA. Their membership to the board will be important in the contribution they can make in supporting the national and regional economies through this exceptional economic period.” RDA board member posts include a remuneration of £8,538 per year for a time commitment of a minimum of two days per month.
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Public and private work together at Survive and Thrive
Emda is set to break with tradition at its upcoming Survive and Thrive seminars by allowing the private sector to offer advice to struggling companies. Each event will centre on four masterclass presentations for businesses, which will be delivered by senior business professionals from firms including Cooper Parry, Freeth Cartwright, Shoosmiths and CBG. The events are taking place at the following locations: Tuesday 2 December, Hilton Hotel, Northampton at 8.30am; Wednesday 3 December, Pride Park, Derby, at 8.30am; Thursday 4 December, Lincolnshire Showground at 1pm; Tuesday 9 December, The Ramada Hotel, Leicester, at 8.30am; and Thursday 11 December, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nottingham, at 8.30am.
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