|
 |
| Home | Products & Services | Shop | Subscriptions |
Chorley business SAL Abrasive Technologies has undergone a management buyout funded by The Royal Bank of Scotland. Directors Janet Handley and David Parkinson have bought out fellow director Simon Parkinson, who is emigrating to Australia. Set up in 1968, SAL makes products used for cutting, polishing and grinding by customers in the aerospace, automotive and metalwork sectors. DWF, Dickson Haslam and Tenon advised. 
No identity crisis for Currie Liverpool investor Bill Currie has built up his shareholding in Chester-based identity management business GB Group. He now has an interest in 7,120,000 ordinary shares of 2.5 pence in the company, representing 8.43 per cent of the issued share capital. Currie is a former joint managing director of Charterhouse Securities and also currently acts as a non-executive director for Coffeeheaven International.
Kerns impresses new American bosses Manchester specialist PR company Northern Exposure has been acquired by American life sciences specialist Impress Public Relations to help it expand into European chemicals and healthcare markets. Richard Kerns, Northern Exposure's managing director, will now run Impress PRâs Europe operation from his office in Worsley. His clients over the years have included major names in the fine chemicals and biotech markets such as Zeneca Laporte, ChiroTech and Dow.
Cheshire-based Norcros, the home consumer products group that floated on the stock exchange in July 2007, has seen a 3.4 per cent rise in revenues to £167.9m and a 67.8 per cent increase in profit including exceptionals to £9.9m in the year to 31 March, according to results posted today. The company reports that its UK operations have proved resilient in the face of a consumer downturn, while its investment in South Africa, where it is a manufacturer and retailer of ceramic tiles, adhesives and sanitaryware, has delivered strong figures. Expecting no respite in pressure on energy prices and the consumer market, chairman John Brown said the group is maintaining its focus on cost reduction and cash management.
Government cracks down on dodgy traders Rogue traders and con merchants in the North West are set to be thwarted by a new team backed by £825,000 of government funding. The specialist Trading Standards team will be based in Liverpool and will help local authorities and the police crack down on rogue traders, dodgy doorstep salespeople and many other scams. The government is investing £7.5m so that Wales, Scotland and each of the nine regions in England has a team.
The postman knocks for four years Royal Mail has won a contract with Manchester City Council initially worth £4.2m with the potential to grow to £8.4m over the next four years. The council selected Royal Mail for an innovative strategic partnership that is helping slash the local authority's postal costs. It has signed up for two years and will extend the contract for a further two years if the agreed savings are achieved.
Tough times for Loanmakers Loanmakers, the Bolton-based loan broker formerly known as Debtmatters, cited "difficult and uncertain financial markets" this morning when it announced a full-year pre-tax loss of £8.4m against a profit of £7.8m last year. It disposed of its ailing individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) business in March 2008 and the core business performed well until the markets began to turn. But the financial performance in the second half of the financial year meant there was no further earn-out for the former owners of the business, Kevin Hindley and Tim Wheeldon, who have now resigned from the business.
Lancashire celebrates its finest Some familiar names appeared among the winners at the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards, held last night in Blackburn. Northcote Manor, the flagship of Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft's steadily growing restaurant empire, picked up the Taste Lancashire 08 award, while the Barton Grange Hotel near Preston won the business tourism award. Blackpool's Big Blue Hotel won the large hotel category.
Chester-based The District Estates has bought a portfolio of industrial properties in Greater Manchester from Morley Fund Management. The company paid £5.75m for let properties in Trafford Park, Golbourne and Salford at a yield of 7.7 per cent. Morley is regarded as the most likely of the major institutional funds to reignite the market by selling stock, but only controls a handful of key Liverpool and Manchester office buildings, the highlight being 4 Hardman Square in Spinningfields.
Boulton wanderers Manchester's secondary office market continues to see deal activity. CB Richard Ellis has let an additional 5,196 sq ft to training company BPP at Boulton House on Chorlton Street. Insider understands that rail services company Jarvis is to take the third floor at the same building, currently being refurbished.
Trafford picks its team Trafford Council has appointed the team that will compile the masterplan and development framework for Trafford Park over the next 20 years. Led by economic and regeneration consultancy EKOS, the team also includes urban strategist Urbed, engineering consultancy WSP Development & Transportation and CB Richard Ellis. John McCreadie, EKOS chairman, said: "Old Trafford, Lancashire County Cricket Club and MediaCity will all be on Trafford Park's doorstep, and the consortium will play a key part in envisioning how we can join these up effectively to Trafford and Manchester, getting the maximum benefit from regeneration."
DTZ cuts not a North West matter The 50 redundancies at DTZ, the first of the major consultancies to declare such cuts, should not impinge on its Manchester or Liverpool offices heavily, the firm said this morning. In a statement, DTZ said: "Of a total UK headcount of 2,000, fewer than 50 people are affected by the review. Across the North West there has been only one role confirmed as surplus. Consultation is underway to establish the extent to which the people in these posts can be redeployed, minimising the need for redundancies."
Manchester Business on BBC Radio Manchester tonight will discuss the health of Manchester's digital and IT industries 60 years after Baby - the first computer - was invented at the University of Manchester. The guest presenters on the programme will be Jacqueline Hughes-Lundy from Altrincham-based Inspiring Connections and Michael Taylor, the editor of Insider. The hot topic will be: Why is Silicon Valley in California and not next to the banks of the Irwell? Guests include: Professor Steve Furber from the University of Manchester, who designed the BBC Microcomputer back in the 1980s; Shaun Fensom, chairman of Manchester Digital; and Dr Katrina Delargy, a research scientist who runs her own company, Aventura.
|
Subscribe or Unsubscribe To subscribe or unsubscribe to the eBulletin, click here.
|
| © Copyright 2008 Newsco Insider Limited | Privacy Policy |
|
Newsco Insider Limited - Registered in England and Wales with Number 02709518. Registered Office: Boulton House, 17-21 Chorlton Street, Manchester. M1 3HY |