Liverpool-based Finch has won a four-way pitch from Warwick Castle to handle the advertising and marketing services for the attraction. Finch beat RBH, KLM and Cogent Elliot to secure the work and has been charged with driving up visitor numbers in 2009. Its first task will be to produce a TV advertisement that will be broadcast in the run-up to Easter. Warwick Castle is owned by Merlin Entertainments Group.

Chester-based energy technology developer Energetix has announced that its subsidiary Pnu Power has won its first contract in Europe. The company will supply one of its 4 kW compressed air energy systems to Telecom Italia for use as a back-up power source at its regional telephone exchange at Cafasse, near Turin. Although the contract is only for one system, it could be extended should trials of the product be successful. The deal follows a major contract win in December from Californian company P&E Automation.

Losses have widened at Cheshire-based Surface Transforms, a manufacturer of carbon-fibre reinforced ceramic materials. For the six months to 30 November 2008 the businesses made a pre-tax loss of £547,000, against a turnover of £398,000, compared with a loss of £370,000 in the previous year. Chairman Kevin D'Silva said that revenues in the second half of the year are expected to be lower than internal budgets so full-year revenues will be below market expectations. On a brighter note he added that the lower unit cost of manufacture, a reduced annual overhead base of £200,000 and improved business in aerospace should deliver a marked reduction in operating losses and improved cash flows in the 2009/10 financial year.

Liverpool-based Nobles Construction has secured contracts totalling more than £3m at four schools in the North West, including Bishop Eton in Woolton, Liverpool, St Mary’s in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, St John Fisher in Widnes and Christ the King in Bromborough. Bishop Eton will receive £220,000 of improvements, while St Mary’s Primary School, the largest contract at £2.5m, will be entirely reconstructed to replace the existing school. A large themed play area is being built at St John Fisher School and the contract with Christ the King school involves a single classroom extension.