| - |
|
Top story
|
Bibby continues diversification drive
Liverpool-based Bibby Line Group has acquired Garic, a Bury-based plant and equipment hire business, as the group looks to acquire established, entrepreneurial and potentially high-growth businesses to strengthen and diversify its portfolio, which spans support services across logistics, marine, offshore oil and gas, financial services and retail sectors. Its recent investments include the acquisition of Costcutter, Woodland Burial Parks and MHL Support, in addition to the creation of companies such as Bibby Ship Management, which has a new operation in the Ukraine. Garic, which employs 95 people in Bury, designs, manufactures and hires its own range of equipment that helps infrastructure and construction contractors address a range of environmental, security and health and safety issues. Established in 1983, it boasts an 800-strong client base that ranges from independent contractors to major multinationals such as Balfour Beatty, McAlpine, Laing O’Rourke and Carillion. Cy Green, chief executive of Bibby Holdings, said: “Bibby Holdings has funds available for future investments and will be looking at exciting opportunities to invest in businesses with excellent growth prospects.”
|
|
|
Deals
|
Venmore takeover deal completes
The property management and auction businesses of Liverpool-based The Venmore Partnership have been acquired by Wirral estate agency Bradshaw, Farnham & Lea (BF&L). Negotiations are ongoing about the future of the rest of the group, including the Ball & Percival estate agency chain. Solicitor Caroline Prosser of the Hill Dickinson corporate team in Liverpool, which advised BF&L, said: “The deal is indicative that, despite there being obvious difficulties in the commercial and domestic property markets, there remains optimism that those markets will return to normal in the medium term. The acquisition strengthens the already well-established Bradshaw Farnham & Lea brand on the Wirral and gives an excellent platform for growth in Liverpool. This bold move places our clients in an excellent position to weather the current economic difficulties and gives them a great opportunity to take advantage of the inevitable upturn.”
|
|
Business
|
New director at Cybertill
Cybertill, the Knowsley-based electronic point of sale and e-commerce technology company, has appointed a new director. Ed Micklewright, who for the past four years has managed the company’s sales team focused on the UK’s smaller retailers, has been appointed director of client services. He said: “My remit is to improve the client experience of owning and using our system right across the piece: from the way the system is sold, then implemented, through to the most critical stage, which is we how we support it.” 
Register for Insider's Green Crunch breakfast
While the threat of recession offers some businesses an excuse to let green policies and plans slip, adopting better environmental practices can often make a major difference to your bottom line. Insider is organising a breakfast event on sustainability and the recession on 28 November at 7.30am, at The Ramada Jarvis Piccadilly. An expert panel will discuss their experiences of environmental policy and the impact this can have on saving the planet and saving money: Chris Shearlock, environmental manager at The Co-operative Group; Tony Dean, regional director at The Environment Agency; and David Hall, senior sector development manager for energy (North West) at Envirolink. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For further information on the event, please contact our events team on 0161 907 9707 or email helen.rangeley@newsco.com.
Serviced apartment expansion plan
Manchester-based luxury serviced apartments company Blue Rainbow Apartments has announced plans to expand across the UK, with planned locations including Liverpool, Aberdeen, Bristol, Birmingham and London. Established in 2005, Blue Rainbow is a privately owned business and its 82-apartment Blue Rainbow ApartHotel, close to Deansgate station, is a five-star accredited serviced apartment hotel. The company is expecting to increase turnover by £9m to become a £12m business in the next four years.
Hughes calls for skills push
Minister for the North West Beverley Hughes is leading a drive to unlock the talents of the workforce in the region. Speaking at Sportcity in Manchester, at a debate organised by Business in the Community, she said it is vital the North West has a highly skilled workforce to prevent jobs being lost abroad. “People are the North West’s number one resource and, against the backdrop of a fast-changing world, we are facing unprecedented competition from the rising aspirations and skill levels of the major global economies," she said. "The challenge we face is that within the next decade large numbers of unskilled jobs will be replaced by high-skilled ones. We must ensure that the North West workforce is not left behind.”
Question the police
A police advice session for businesses and residents is being held in Liverpool’s commercial district tomorrow morning. Merseyside police officers will be on hand at Brew tea bar in St Paul’s Square from 10am with advice and services such as free security marking for mobile phones and laptops.
New FD for Silverbeck Rymer
Law firm Silverbeck Rymer has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Barbara Rimmer as finance director. Rimmer, who joins from Leek United Building Society, is a senior finance and commercial executive with experience in venture capital-backed, financial services, public sector and international plc environments. Last month the firm announced the appointment of Adrian Parry, formerly managing director of Direct Choice, as a non-executive director.
|
|
Property
|
New team at CBRE
Property consultancy CB Richard Ellis has launched a North West loan and corporate recovery advice team, set up in response to the increased distress in the sector brought on by declining values and weakening occupier sentiment. The team will operate from the company’s Manchester and Liverpool offices and will be led by joint directors Chris Weights and Shaun Skidmore. Weights said: “Banks are increasingly scrutinising their debt books to identify the level of exposure on individual and company loans. It is not a panic situation, but they are looking to restructure or reposition themselves to limit any potential losses.”
Housing market confidence remains low
Confidence in the North West housing market continued to fall last month as lenders kept a tighter grip on finance, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The average number of transactions per agency in the region was 12 in October, down from 13 in September. However, the balance of surveyors reporting house price falls improved slightly, while buyer enquiries rose to the highest net balance for 16 months. “Many vendors have finally started to accept current market conditions and are dropping their asking prices to achieve a sale,” said RICS’ Ian Perry. “Sales should increase in the coming months as more and more sellers understand that greater realism is the only way to make that long-desired move.”
Gelert takes on The Bear
Outdoor equipment and clothing retailer Gelert has taken a 103,073 sq ft distribution facility in Widnes, known as The Bear, in one of the region’s most significant industrial deals of the year. The letting will see the North Wales-based business take the unit on the Ditchfield Road site on a 15-year lease. Letting agent CBRE, acting on behalf of Threadneedle Property Investments, said the site was selected due to its excellent transport links and the opportunity for a 150,000 sq ft expansion.
Planning for depository in Blackpool
Planning consent has been granted for a former storage depository building that is up for sale in Blackpool town centre. The site, on the market with Robert Pinkus & Co, has consent for the erection of 14 apartments. At around 16,258 sq ft on a site of 0.25 acres, the former Shaw’s Depository building on Whitegate Drive is in a prominent position on one of the main routes into the town centre.
|
|
|
Contact Us
Insider
8th Floor, Boulton House
17-21 Chorlton Street
Manchester
M1 3HY
Telephone: +44 (0)161 907 9711
Email:
nw@insiderdaily.co.uk
|
|
Subscribe
To subscribe to the eBulletin,
click here.
|
|
- |
