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Wilmslow-based Norcos, the home consumer products group, this morning announced the sale of its 18.51 per cent interest in H & R Johnson (India) for £3.7m. HRJ is mainly involved in the manufacture and distribution of ceramic tiles in India. Meanwhile, the group reported revenues for the 13 weeks to 29 June down by 7.5 per cent but said it continues to pursue a programme of cost-saving measures. Chairman John Brown said: "The group continues to benefit from having market-leading brands with strong positions in attractive market segments. We will also continue to judiciously invest in both capital and revenue programmes to support the longer term development of the business." 
Spanish serenade for A&L Alliance & Leicester (A&L), whose Manchester-based director of corporate banking, Bryce Glover, was earlier this month promoted to managing director of the firm's commercial banking operations, this morning confirmed it has received a takeover approach from Spanish banking giant Santander, which also owns Abbey. Shares in A&L soared this morning on news of the offer, which values the bank at around £1.3bn.
As businesses across the region gear up in hope of lucrative contracts and partnerships when MediaCity comes on stream, the BBC has signed up with the University of Bradford as a formal education partner on the Salford Quays project from 2011. The university will help the BBC identify new talent, train staff and organise live project briefs. Helen Thomas, head of region for the BBC in Yorkshire, said: "This helps illustrate that the move of key departments of the BBC to Salford in 2011 doesn't just benefit the North West, it will also bring long-term benefits to Yorkshire and the whole of the north of England."
...but Salford signs agreement too The University of Salford has become the first higher education institution in Greater Manchester to sign a partnership agreement with the BBC ahead of its move to MediaCity. The agreement will include new joint courses such as a BSc in Digital Broadcast Technology, enterprise training for Salford undergraduates and student placements in the corporation, which will employ 2,400 people in Salford Quays.
Character World lands Wall-E Character World, the Cheshire-based licensed textile company, has struck a deal with Disney Pixar to deliver bedroom products for Wall-E, a film that will be released in the UK this week after taking £31.3m in its opening weekend in the US. Danny Schweiger, director at Character World, said: “There is a real buzz around Wall-E, especially after the hugely successful release in America. It looks set to be the family movie of the summer and its wide appeal means the brand looks set to be around for a long time.”
McCann Hoovers up pan-European win McCann Erickson has been appointed by Hoover to a floorcare products project for an autumn 2008 campaign. The pitch was led by McCann Erickson Communications House (MECH) in Manchester, working with its sister offices in France and Italy. The win represents the latest in a series of major account gains for MECH, which recently announced it had been appointed as lead agency for InterContinental Hotels, handling the account across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
More gloomy predictions but North West bucks trend As the ripples of the credit crunch spread through a range of business sectors, research released by Ernst & Young today reveals that UK plcs have seen profit warnings for the second quarter of 2008 hit 98, the highest second quarter figure since 2001. But in the North West the number of profit warnings issued by plcs more than halved - from 11 issued in first quarter to only four in quarter two. Unfortunately, private sector output in the North West declined for the first time in almost three years in June, according to The Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) latest PMI Business Survey Data, also out today. "Businesses are under pressure from falling new orders and rising input cost pressures," said RBS economist Philip McKinnon.
Lancaster University on the rise Lancaster University has moved up the rankings to be placed in the top tier of colleges and universities in the UK that generate wealth through working with business. The university's income from collaborative research with business rose from just under £7m in 2005/06 to over £11.5m in 2006/07 according to a government report. Collaborative research is a crucial vehicle for universities to work with leading-edge innovators around the world. The university was further ranked third in the country for the number and value of its contracts with small and medium-sized enterprises in 2006/07. The report was published by the Government and the Higher Education Funding Council for England.
Developer Argent is to sell the freehold of its Hive site in Manchester's Northern Quarter to Manchester City Council. Although Argent has an 18,000 sq ft pre-let deal with the Arts Council in place to anchor the first phase of the 135,000 sq ft scheme, a falling market in which the group is exposed elsewhere - it is developing Piccadilly Place in Manchester and leading the £2bn regeneration of London's Kings Cross - has led to this deal, in which Argent will lease back the property and share profits with the council.
Cliff heads to Liverpool Stephen Cliff, who is set to leave Ask Developments, has revealed his first venture under the Vision Developments brand. Cliff, who is backed by Irish investor Morgan Leahy, has entered a joint venture with Liverpool developer Huntsmere to deliver the Aura scheme, a mixed-use project in Liverpool's Victoria Street. Planning consent exists for a scheme including apartments, but the partners plan to rework the scheme, which will include a boutique hotel along with office space.
Land deal sealed for Cumbria leisure park The Derwent Forest leisure project is a step closer after Allerdale Borough Council and Cumbria County Council agreed terms with the Ministry of Defence on the acquisition of the former Royal Naval Armaments depot at Broughton Moor. The Northwest Regional Development Agency, which brokered the deal, will cover the cost of site maintenance and security for three years and assist in marketing it to private developers.
The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce continues its series of Transport Innovation Fund briefings this week, heading to Salford, Wigan and central Manchester to give every business the full facts on the congestion charge and details of the public transport improvements in their area. ACC Liverpool plays host to the National Business Awards regional finals for the North West and North East on Thursday night. Meanwhile, start-up companies are preparing to showcase their services free of charge at the One Expo event at One Central Park in East Manchester tomorrow, hosted by members of One Club, a networking group set up by businesses based at One Central Park. And KPMG in Manchester is tomorrow evening hosting Northern StartUp Business 8, part of Northern StartUp 2.0’s event series for digital start-ups to meet, learn and share experiences with like-minded individuals.
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