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Top story
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PZ Cussons on track for further growth
Stockport-based consumer products group PZ Cussons has this morning issued a trading update for the half year to 30 November that shows improvements in sales and profitability compared to the same period last year. The company, which makes the Imperial Leather range of products, has launched a number of new products in the UK in the first half, which has ensured good growth despite difficult trading conditions, and construction of the group’s Personal Wash Centre of Excellence in Manchester is on schedule, with the production facility almost complete. Trading in Nigeria has also been strong, where two major investment projects in supply chain facilities and a new factory are also on schedule. The company said the outlook for the full year remains positive and the board is “cautiously optimisitic”.
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Deals
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Colwell joins Ford Campbell
Corporate finance house Ford Campbell has appointed a new equity partner. Following the demerger from the general practice, Andrew Colwell has joined founder Tony Ford, and fellow partners Chris Froggatt and Dave Cheetham at the helm to drive the Manchester-based firm’s marketing and deal origination initiatives. Colwell has held senior marketing roles in a number of FTSE 100 companies including marketing director at LBM. He is also founder and managing director of marketing communications agency French Colwell. This follows the announcement yesterday that the accountancy arm of the demerged Ford Campbell is being renamed Campbell Woolley, with Tony Woolley at the helm alongside Andy Campbell.
Car repairer celebrates £2m HQ
Car Cosmetics, a family-owned car repair business in Trafford Park, has moved into a new £2m headquarters supported by The Royal Bank of Scotland and has ambitious plans to double the size of its workforce. The company, owned by husband and wife team David and Gil Gage, has moved to a 23,000 sq ft base close to its old home on Trafford Park Industrial Estate. The company is predicting it may need to recruit up to 12 additional staff to cope with an expected increase in demand.
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Business
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TIF sides gather support
The Manchester branch of public sector trade union UNISON has confirmed its support for Greater Manchester’s Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) proposals. A resolution was passed at the November meeting of the local executive committee encouraging local members to vote yes. But law firm Davies Arnold Cooper today nailed its colours to the anti-TIF mast. Partner Stephen Robinson said: “Employers may face a huge challenge to retain workers who believe they will suffer financially from having to pay a daily charge. The city’s ability to remain competitive may be under threat as the congestion charge will have a serious impact on a company’s ability to trade.”
Sales boosts for Plant Impact
Plant Impact, the Preston-based plant technology company, this morning announced that turnover for the six months to 30 September is up to £225,287 from £128,578 in the same period last year, as a result of direct sales growth in the UK, Europe and the US. An operating loss of £1.2m, up from £892,135, reflected of an increase in research and development spend and expansion of the sales team. The company is in advanced negotiations for global licensing of its BugOil technology and has started negotiations to enter the biofuels market.
Share placing for Vision Media
Cheadle-based outdoor media company Vision Media Group has raised £120,000 after a successful placing of 3.6 million shares on AIM. The company has a ten-year national advertising sales contract with Clear Channel to place advertising panels in shopping malls. Executive chairman Mike Cottman said the fundraising was in line with the continued development of the business. The company plans to have 250 advertising panels in place by February 2009.
Payal signs for Lancs
Manchester events and catering business Payal Events has secured a deal with Lancashire County Cricket Club to provide Asian catering for events in the club’s new 700-capacity marquee. It is the first time an external events and catering company has been allowed to run functions at Old Trafford. Payal owner Raj Somaiya said: “Few organisations in the North West have such distinguished connections with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka as Lancashire so we’re proud to have been selected.” Lancashire this week announced that Jim Cumbes will stay on as chief executive beyond reaching retirement age in May 2009.
Nuclear parent bodies sought
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has announced a Parent Body Organisation competition strategy for the remainder of the civil nuclear estate under its ownership. This follows the successful transfer of management and operations of the Sellafield nuclear complex to consortium Nuclear Management Partners in November. The NDA intends to appoint new Parent Body Organisations via a competitions process over the next four years for the rest of its sites, including Dounreay and Magnox. It is expected that the competition process for Dounreay will be launched in late summer 2009.
Armer’s call to arms in Cumbria
Peter Armer, director of resources, finance and estates at the University of Cumbria, has pledged to get local business on board to help transform the university, formed in August 2007, into a world-class institution. Speaking at an event in Penrith held by construction consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall, Armer said: “We must begin the journey from being a collection of legacy institutions into a serious, respected and high-performing county university.” The university is investing £160m over the next few years to transform its facilities, including a new £70m campus in Carlisle.
Calls for pan-northern RDA
A new report from the Centre for Cities think tank is calling for radical reform of regional development agencies (RDAs) after the next general election, including amalgamating the three northern RDAs into one. The organisation believes the next government should consider merging some RDAs and closing others to focus more on where economic development and investment is most needed. Under the proposals, cities such as Liverpool and Sunderland would benefit from being part of a unified northern agency that would build better links between the two biggest northern city regions - Greater Manchester and Leeds.
Losses for Astek
Astek Group, the holding company of Astek Innovations based in Altrincham, has released interim results for the six months to September 2008. The designer, manufacturer and distributor of dental equipment has reported a loss of £99,111 before tax on turnover that increased by 9 per cent in the same period up to £550,342. The results are an improvement on the same period last year, when the group made a loss of £215,701 following the costs of a failed acquisition strategy. Sales of Pro-Tip, the company’s proprietary product, have improved in the last six months, leading to an increase in margins. The directors believe Astek's market will be relatively unaffected by the global economic downturn.
Funding boost for creative and digital sector
In a bid to boost the competitiveness of the region’s TV, film, games and digital content industries, screen agency Northwest Vision and Media has launched its fourth Regional Attraction Fund, which offers funding of up to £50,000 to businesses working in the sector. Companies have until March 2010 to apply for the support, which for the first time will cover production investment. Northwest Vision and Media, which is in the process of seeking new board members, is also hosting a number of skills roadshows this week to provide advice, networking opportunities and speeches by leading industry professionals from the likes of Sony and Lime Pictures. The events are being held at Warrington Village Hall Hotel tomorrow and the City Inn in Manchester on Friday.
Rebrand for marketing company
Marketing services company Print Co-ordination has changed its name to Radius Design & Marketing. The Macclesfield-based company wants to reflect the growing range of marketing services that it has to offer. Radius has recently won a range of new clients including the NHS, Novartis, an international pharmaceutical company, and event company Gemini International.
Appointment at Glaisyers
Glaisyers Solicitors has strengthened its corporate department with the appointment of corporate and commercial partner John McMuldroch from Pannone. He joins the Manchester-based law firm after seven years in Pannone’s corporate department and has experience of working in the e-commerce and software sectors with both large corporate clients and smaller companies.
Virgin promises less train strain
Services on the West Coast Main Line will be running more frequently and faster under Virgin Trains’ new timetable from 14 December. The routes from Manchester and Birmingham to London Euston see train frequencies increased to every 20 minutes, comparable with many local commuter routes, and average journey times in the case of Manchester slashed to as little as two hours and five minutes. The number of direct trains from London to Glasgow increases from nine to 13 per day, while from 26 January Chester will be linked to the capital by a train each hour. Liverpool receives extra peak period trains to and from Euston.
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Property
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Sporting chance for Warrington
Warrington council’s executive board has approved the masterplan for the redevelopment of Orford Park into a community sports village. The £30m plan could transform 50 acres of former landfill space adjacent to the A49 into a facility including sports pitches, a health centre and library. It is backed by bodies including Sport England North West and the Northwest Regional Development Agency with £3.6m, while the Football Foundation has pledged its maximum-level grant of £1m. The Warrington Wolves rugby league club will locate its academy and training facilities on site.
Crewe goes square
Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council has announced plans for the refurbishment of Lyceum Square in Crewe town centre. A public exhibition will be held in the run-up to Christmas to air the plans, which focus on public realm improvements, new lighting and more flexible parking. The council hopes the square will become a focus for culture and the arts, saying that efforts will be made to create interest and activity in the evenings as befits its location adjacent to the Lyceum Theatre.
It’s Hall or nothing
Property agencies Knight Frank and Lamonts Commercial have secured the first letting at the Duchy of Lancaster’s farm conversion carried out by Maple Grove Developments at Crewe Hall Farm in Cheshire. The buildings have been sensitively redeveloped to provide 26,000 sq ft of office space, close to junction 16 of the M6 motorway. The first confirmed occupier is to be Zenteum, a petroleum products company, which has taken the 6,415 sq ft Dovecote building on a ten-year lease.
Wooden it be nice
The Beechmere care homes development in Crewe, developed by Avantage, will have the highest timber content of any building in Europe. Over 1,700 cubic metres of timber from sustainable and renewable sources has been provided by Preston-based Prestoplan for the scheme. Ian Perry, chairman of Avantage – a venture between Harvest Housing Group, MJ Gleeson and Nationwide, said: “We didn’t set out to break any records here, but merely construct a building while working to the budget and using the most environmentally friendly products we could.”
Claremont stays on track
Claremont Group Interiors, the Warrington-based fit-out group, says it is on course for a record year after reporting orders worth £17m in the first six months of its financial year. It recorded £21m in sales over the previous 12 months and is aiming to hit £28m this time. Completed contracts include fit-outs for law firm Weightmans in Manchester’s Piccadilly Place and Vindon Healthcare in Rochdale, while it is currently working on refurbishments at both the Royal Liver Building and Port of Liverpool building.
Northern lights for LSH
Property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has secured two three-year contracts, each with an option for a further two years, to provide portfolio and project management services across Northern Rail’s property portfolio. Northern is the UK’s largest train operator, with 471 stations. LSH will become preferred partner for all property matters, including advice on lettings, acquisitions and disposals, as well as design, procurement and project management of station redevelopments and commercial investments.
New signings at Digital World Centre
The Digital World Centre at Salford Quays has seen one of the biggest take-ups for a building in the current redevelopment. Over 17,000 sq feet has been let, with mobile solutions provider 2Ergo and tissue manufacturer SCA Hygiene Products both signing up for ten-year leases. 2Ergo is moving its headquarters and SCA relocating its regional offices and 60 staff from Skelmersdale.
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