BBP Midlands - Edition 51

Ed

ition

51

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Birmingham Business Post

APPRENTICE SUPPORT AND FUNDING FOR WORCESTERSHIRE

BUSINESSES

Ready to become an apprentice employer?

Employer Apprentice Support is funded by Skills Funding Agency (SFA) and European Social Funding (ESF)

If you would like to discuss apprentice opportunities in Worcestershire and how you can get support in taking on an apprentice, contact Kim at Worcestershire Apprenticeships – [email protected] or call 07917 631342

Although apprentices start out with very little experience, their enthusiasm and aptitude for learning is high. Just nine months after starting, our apprentice has become an invaluable member of the development team and we look forward to taking another apprentice on-board soon.

Ian Whiting, CEO Titania, Worcester

Having spent two years studying for A-levels I decided that full-time education was not for me and one of my friends suggested apprenticeships. I am currently halfway through my apprenticeship at ISO Quality Services, and I am involved in all aspects of the company, not just accountancy, giving me knowledge and experience that, at such a

Mike Williams Junior accounts assistant - apprenticeship, ISO Quality Services, Worcester

Lowering training and recruitment costs; training apprentices can be more cost effective than hiring skilled staff;

Providing a specialist workforce, delivering skills designed around your business needs to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector;

Offering eager, motivated, loyal individuals who are committed to the employer. An apprentice is with you because they choose to be – they have made an active choice to learn on the job and a

There is a wealth of free support, advice and funding available for employers wanting to take on apprentices in Worcestershire.

WORCESTERSHIREAPPRENTICESHIPS

The Worcestershire Apprenticeship Group has a target of creating 10,000 apprenticeship places by 2016/2017.

Apprenticeships improve business productivity by:

33087 QPD_HorseWorld 26/11/2014 12:31 Page 1

C O N T E N T SZenith Tax Solutions (R&D) 4

Research and Development (R&D) TaxCredits 5

Zenith Tax Solutions 6

MCS Corporate 8

Business Finance 9

Aston Business School 10

ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust) 11

Lane and Co Solicitors 12

Tilney Bestinvest 13

Quilter Cheviot Investment Management 14

How to turn a good idea into a successful start-up 15

Centre for Advanced Simulation & Modelling (CASIM2) 16

West Midlands Incubation Programme (WMIP) 17

Crownsway Insurance Brokers 18

Levi Roots 19

Air & Ground 20

CWCS Managed Hosting 22

Does every cloud have a silver lining? 23

Six Degrees Group 24

The Pensions Regulator 25

Barnett Waddingham 26

Charles Stanley Financial Solutions 27

Nicklin LLP 28

Mercer Marsh Benefits 29

Foleshill Plating Co 30

Dero Fabrication 33

Atwell International 34

Jaguar 37

Voith Industrial Services 38

Lanes Cars Service Centre 39

The Open Road 40

VW 60 Years at the top 41

Midland Paintwerks 42

Kingfisher Kustoms 43

Federation of Master Builders 45

Spectus Construction 46

The Warm Light Company 47

THSP Risk Management Services 48

DPES 49

Aston University - Woodcock Sports Centre 50

Health & Fitness 51

Core Health and Wellness 52

Nearly Done 53

Windmill Village Hotel 54

Welcome to edition 51 of the Birmingham

Business Post, the free magazine for the

Midlands business community packed with news,

tips and stories from across the region.

In this edition we start a series on Business

Legislation in the light of the Autumn Statement,

commencing with R&D Tax Credits. The Pensions

Regulator reminds us of our Auto Enrolment

obligations, and we have a section on Finance

both for established businesses and Start Ups

with advice from Bev James. A section

celebrating Midlands manufacturing commences

with the new JLR plant, while we start a new

series on the Health and Fitness industry.

Next time we will focus on Training in the

Workplace, and looking at Commercial Property

in the light of the Redevelopment of New Street

Station. Business Legislation will be looking at

changes to IP, while more on The Fitness Industry,

Warehousing and Finance will make for another

packed edition.

BBP Media

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submissions will be returned unless accompanied by a

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DISCLAIMER

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that adverts

and articles appear correctly, PIL (Europe) Limited cannot

accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused

directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily

those of its publisher or editor.

Birmingham Edition 51 Contents_Layout 1 23/01/2015 15:18 Page 1

Even if the advance in science or technology sought by aproject is not achieved or not fully realised, R&D stilltakes place.

We have an extensive knowledge of the R&D tax regimebacked up by numerous successful R&D tax claims submittedto HM Revenue & Customs for all types of companies. Thequalifying R&D projects have varied from developing a moreefficient production process through to new research on “bluesky” ideas for both brand new products and significant productdevelopment. We have developed a project management toolthat covers all aspects of an R&D claim for companiesincluding:

ALL of the above can be actioned on a NO WIN/NO FEE basis.

Therefore the company has nothing to lose in contactingus to ascertain whether or not a claim can be made.

Furthermore we will always assist the Companyregardless of the size of the potential R&D claim.

Please contact us for more details on

01789 201 912

The government wants to encourage Companies to investin R&D so it offers some very good tax incentives on thistype of expenditure for them. This article is a quicksnapshot of the current R&D tax regime.

The Government has estimated that it spends around £1.5bnon R&D tax relief each year. However for the SME sector, R&Dclaims are historically under-claimed because most smallbusinesses either don’t think or don’t know that they canqualify. Therefore most companies in the SME sector are losingout on these valuable tax incentives. As an example from 1April 2015, companies in the SME sector will be able to claim adeduction equal to 230% on qualifying R&D expenditurein calculating its taxable profits. In other words for every £100spent on qualifying R&D then a further £130 can be deductedfrom the taxable profits.

R&D is likely to apply when a project seeks to accomplish anadvance in science or technology and activities are undertakento succeed in this advancement through the resolution ofscientific or technological uncertainty. However what does thismean to you and your business? You may want to considersome of these questions:

If the answer is YES to any of these questions then you may beeligible to claim.

SME companies may claim relief for various categories ofqualifying expenditure such as,

Research & Development (“R&D”) Tax Credits forSmall & Medium Sized Enterprises (“SMEs”)

• Do you employee scientists, engineers, softwaredevelopers or technicians?

• Is your company developing a new product?

• Has your company appreciably improved anexisting product or improved an existingmanufacturing process?

• Does the project involve any technicalchallenges?

• Is the project setting new standards?

• FREE initial consultation to ascertain whetherR&D relief would be readily available to thebusiness to claim

• Detailed knowledge of the costs that can beclaimed for the R&D project

• Production of a tax report that can be submittedto HMRC

• Respond to HMRC correspondence on R&Dmatters should the need arise

• Staffing costs;

• Software or consumable items;

• Relevant payments to subjects of clinical trials;

• Qualifying sub-contractor costs; or

• Externally provided workers

33156 TPS 1PG 2_HorseWorld 19/01/2015 15:49 Page 1

4

Companies can reduce their Corporation

Tax bill or claim payable cash credits as

a proportion of their R&D expenditure.

A common misconception is that R&D tax

credits are limited to a company developing

something completely new and from

scratch, however R&D also includes:

• Developing a process or product that

already exists in the industry, but where

the information to resolve the

technological uncertainty is not readily

available to them; and

• Making an improvement to an existing

product or process, or duplicating an

existing product in an appreciably

improved way. E.g. exploring new cost

effective materials that will perform to

the same or better technical

specification as an available product.

Also, the work doesn’t have to have been

successful; you can make a claim as long as

it aims to achieve a technological advance.

The government, recognising the

need to encourage innovation if we

are to continue to keep pace in

the fast world of modern

technology, has once again

increased R&D provision

with particular emphasis

on assisting SMEs.

In his autumn

statement

George

Osborne

spoke of the

importance of

supporting

Research and

Development,

saying, “We

want to help

British businesses

do more research

and development – this is

crucial to our productivity.”

He announced that he is increasing the

R&D tax credit for small and medium

companies to 230% and the credit for large

firms to 11% to take effect from April 2015.

Legislation, however, will be introduced to

restrict qualifying expenditure for R&D tax

credits so that the costs of materials

incorporated in products that are sold are

not eligible, with effect from 1 April 2015.

An advance assurance scheme for small

businesses making their first claim for R&D

tax credits will be introduced along with

new guidance. The Government will launch

a consultation in January 2015 on the

issues faced by smaller businesses when

claiming R&D tax credits.

The intention is to support the UK when it

comes to generating and commercialising

new ideas, products and services, deemed

“critical” for boosting jobs as creative

businesses will be able to grow quicker to

attract investment and enter new markets.

During his statement, Osborne

spoke highly of the UK's

ambition and a

“commitment

to science” to

back his

support of R&D,

saying it's a

“personal priority.”

“Scientific advance is a

human endeavour worthy

of support in its own right.

It is also crucial to our

economic future. In 2010, the

UK was ranked fourteenth in the

Global Innovation Index. Today we

are ranked second, but we aim to be

the best,” he said.

He revealed £6 billion will be allocated

on the “biggest ever sustained

programme of investment in the

research facilities of our scientific

community.”

“This includes money for major new

scientific challenges from the search for

advanced materials, to the ground-breaking

work on ageing, to the exploration of the

universe,” he continued.

“The Rosetta mission to the comet captured

the nation’s imagination. I can tell the House

that yesterday Britain was awarded the lead

role in the next international effort to explore

the planet of Mars.”

As a result of the increase in payable credit

for SME companies, and the introduction of

the new Research and Development Credit,

‘RDEC’, the R&D Tax Reliefs offered by

HMRC are more generous than ever.

R&D Tax Relief can provide companies

undertaking qualifying activity with a

significant cash benefit. The exact nature of

the relief that a company can claim will

depend on its size i.e. whether it is deemed

to be a Small or Medium Sized Enterprise

(‘SME’) or a Large Company.

The SME Relief provides a cash benefit of

c.26% to profit making companies or a

payable cash credit of c.32% for loss

making companies.

The Large Company Relief provides a cash

benefit of up to c.8% for profit making

companies, and from 1 April 2013 a cash

credit of c. 7.7%, rising to 8% in 2015, for

loss making companies.

Many companies don’t appreciate that

there is also a 100% deduction for capital

expenditure in relation to fixed assets

purchased for use in the R&D activity.

As we hope this article demonstrates it is

well worth discussing the potential of

receiving R&D tax Credits or Tax Relief for

your company with your tax adviser.

The government’s own web site

https://www.gov.uk/corporation-tax-

research-and-development-rd-relief

gives fuller information and explains

the qualifying criteria.

R&D Tax Credits

Research and Development (R&D) TaxCredits are a UK tax incentive designed toencourage companies to invest in R&D.

33153 1pg_Transport Warehousing 23/01/2015 12:19 Page 1

5

“We have serviced many sectors of the business community including veryhigh net worth individuals, professional sport stars and clubs, the property andconstruction sectors and leisure industry as well as a whole range of servicerelated business sectors.”

We asked when the business was started and how it hasgrown since they started out.

“Mark Allen’s background began in accountancy working for a number of largePlc’s. In 1991 he decided that he wanted his own practice and started on hisown. The practice is still going today and has been very successful for him.Over the years Mark became more and more interested in specialising in tax.He became an expert in some very niche areas of tax, working with some ofthe key decision makers and top tax QC’s in London.

“In order to grow Mark decided that to start his own tax company he wouldneed the support of a tax specialist. In 2010 I joined Mark having worked for anumber of the Big 4 accountancy groups in both Edinburgh and London, avaried experience that gave me a natural ability with the subject matter and akeen ability to ‘solve clients’ problems’.

“With Mark’s entrepreneurial skills in sourcing new business opportunities andmy skills in finding innovative tax solutions for clients our business has grownsignificantly over the last 4 years.”

“A key area of growth for us has been in the SME R&D sector. We have aready-made solution to assist clients to evaluate very quickly their potential toclaim the very favourable tax credits available to SME’s.”

We asked what their plans are for the coming year.

“Given the significant growth of the business, Mark and I will be looking toexpand our tax team by recruiting a new tax consultant. In addition, the

David Logan, Zenith’s Technical Directortalked to us about the range of productsand services his company offers saying,

“We offer a bespoke tax advisory service forclients or advisors who have complex tax issuesthat they require assistance with to resolve. Forexample if clients are selling their business wewould assist to ensure the client was able toclaim Entrepreneurs Relief. We are also expertsin Research & Development tax claims forcompanies and have had a 100% success ratewith advance clearance applications to HMRevenue & Customs. We are also experts incompany reorganisations such as share forshare exchanges and demergers of businessesby ensuring the clients have the relevant taxclearances from HMRC before proceeding withthe transaction”.

He continued, “We cover the full range of taxesincluding personal tax, corporate tax as well ascapital and inheritance taxes. In addition weoffer support for indirect taxes such as VAT andstamp duty.”

When asked to tell us more about thebusiness.

He said, “Zenith Tax Solutions is an independentteam of Chartered Tax Advisers specialised intax consultancy services. We are members ofthe Chartered Institute of Taxation with over 100years of wide ranging tax experience. We arebased in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire butcover the majority of the UK.”

“Our aim is to provide “Clear and Simple TaxAdviceTM” for entrepreneurs, companies andindividuals that have complex tax issues thatrequire specialist tax input. Whether this is anincome tax, corporation tax, capital gains tax,Research and Development or even inheritancetax issue please come and speak to us. THEINITIAL CONSULTATION IS ALWAYS FREEand we welcome the opportunity to meet at alocation that suits you.”

“We are happy to work alongside your currentprofessional advisers to ensure that we providethe best advice available to you.”


6

phones have been ringing non-stop since the AutumnStatement and the release of the draft 2015 Finance Bill so weare looking to provide further tax update webinars both forclients and professional advisors in the New Year.”

“In the longer term we are aiming to develop free tax bulletinpodcasts to explain recent tax cases of interest and anychanges to current legislation. We hope that these podcasts willsimplify some of the more complex tax issues that can occur.”

We asked what the company had found to betheir greatest business challenge.

David explained that, “The difficulty for accountants whendealing with client tax issues is anticipating when to bring in atax specialist given the complexity of the tax legislation.Therefore our biggest hurdle has been to establish a client basewith advisors who feel comfortable referring work to us.Establishing trust is vital to ensure that the advice we provide to

our clients is always sufficiently robust to support any potentialreview from HM Revenue & Customs.”

We also asked what they felt to be their greatestbusiness success.

He told us, “We are currently assisting a client in relation to atax underpayment that has arisen due to no fault of thetaxpayer. We have been ably assisted by a top QC on a pro-bono basis. The client cannot thank us enough for the supportwe have provided for them; they mention the fact that if itwasn’t for our assistance it is clear that HMRC would have wonthe battle a long time ago.

Win, lose or draw the clients must always come first!

For more information please visit www.zenithtax.co.uk,or telephone 01789 201912, both Mark and David are on

LinkedIn where you can view a number of clienttestimonials.

Unit 3, The Courtyard, Timothy’s Bridge RoadStratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 9NP

Find us on


7

The UK’s economic growth depends upon innovation.Total UK Research and Development (R&D)expenditure in 2011 represented 1.79% of GDP,compared to an EU average of 2.03% and short of the2.5% target set by the government in 2004. Currently30% of new claims are first time applicants.

Government policy hasfocused on implementationof a series of tax reliefs tostimulate R&D activity, whichare open to all incorporatedbusiness subject to UKcorporation tax. Since 2000,24,000 companies havebenefitted from nearly £6bnin tax relief. Thegovernment’s on-goingcommitment wasemphasised with furtherincreases to allowances inthe 2014 autumn statement.

MCS are a well-establishedexpanding independentconsultancy offering arange of services with afocus on research and

development funding to support businesses of all sizes. Theyhave substantial expertise in the areas of research anddevelopment tax credits and grant applications, for fundingfrom a variety of regional, national and European funds. Thecompany also offers a wide range of other support servicesthrough their international network of associates. Much of therecent expansion has been due to the company’s highlyeffective research and development application services.

MCS is a family business established by Greville Warwick 25years ago. An engineer with a background of managing large-scale international projects and contract negotiations, he hasalways worked in hybrid positions. His varied experienceprovides huge value when evaluating clients’ projects and hasbeen a major contributor to the company’s expansion.

The following generation has brought additional skills andpersonal experience to the company’s portfolio. Julian Warwickbrings financial knowledge, whereas Rebecca Warwick bringsexperience of engineering and project management from acareer at Rolls Royce. The knowledge and skill of the rest ofthe team further strengthens the professional services provided.

With a wealth of experience working with micro through toglobal businesses, the team have crucial first-hand knowledgeand understanding of working with all types of businesses. Theteam work seamlessly to provide expert services whileminimizing disruptions to clients, bringing value to all sizes andtypes of businesses.

They prefer a one to oneapproach where they canestablish a company’sneeds in detail. After all, asRebecca told us, “While weare the experts in what wedo, the client is the experton their own business; ourexpertise is identifyingimportant elements in aclaim or project andpresenting it accurately inthe required way."

Greville is especiallypleased to have expandedactivities to include R&D TaxCredits in 2009, takingMCS to the forefront of thisgrowing field. Thecompany’s strong working

relationship with awarding bodies and its field experienceenables the evaluation of a project and the likelihood of asuccessful application quickly. This saves the client time andenables MCS to work on a success fee basis, so contact MCSfor no obligation advice.

Join us on...

Rebecca Warwick

Greville Warwick

mcs-corporate.comor call 01926 512475

[email protected] Station Road | Kenilworth | CV8 1JJ


8

Despite the banks being unwilling to

lend without an established credit

history, or using your assets, including

the family home as security, there are

plenty of sources of funding out there.

When you first start a business you may

need to fund it from your personal

savings, with possible help from grants

and friends. In fact, one study found that

61% of UK start-ups are funded entirely

by the personal savings and investments

of their owners.

The government is trying to help, last

October, legislation introduced through the

Small Business Enterprise and Employment

Bill paved the way for smaller businesses

to get easier access to growth finance.

Businesses turned down by the banks for

loans will be afforded the chance to have

their information passed on to government-

designated platforms that will help match

businesses with alternative lenders, or

grants, giving entrepreneurs more

opportunities to fund their enterprise.

Government grants are available for a

range of reasons and it would be foolish to

pass them up.

For example, your business may be seen

as strategic, or it may help in the

development of social goals such as

rural development or socially

disadvantaged groups.

Although big banks account for the

vast majority of main SME banking

relationships (over 80 per cent),

tried and tested sources of funding,

such as invoice finance, in addition to

innovative new forms of credit, such as

crowdfunding platforms, are

growing in favour

across the UK.

Players such as

Crowdcube and

Seedrs cater for

equity-based investments, while debt

operators include players like Funding

Circle and Thincats. It seems like wherever

you turn, a new and exciting alternative

funder has entered the market.

Outside investors will only be interested in

your business once you can demonstrate

that it has at least an 80% chance of

succeeding. They expect the owner to

invest as much as he can afford.

Investors will also want to know that your

business is properly structured and has

good credit management systems in place.

Remember, money costs money; why

should your business be paying out interest

charges to fund your slow payers?

Clear terms and conditions stipulating

when payments must be made followed

up by polite but firm requests for payment

are the cornerstone of any well regulated

business, your solicitor’s advice on

drawing up the terms and conditions will

be extremely helpful here. You should

always try to discover if there is a valid

reason for non-payment and seek to

resolve the issue.

It is often assumed that all you can do

with bad debt when all reasonable

attempts at recovery have failed is to

either write the debt off, or take the

debtor to court. Not so, lawyers

specialising in debt recovery are often

able to avoid either necessity.

A solicitors’ letter not only shows that you

are serious about collecting your debt, but

makes the customer aware of the

consequences of non-payment.

The lawyer will negotiate terms with your

client if that is the only way; after all there

is no point in taking legal action in the

case of someone who will pay, but is just

unable to do so immediately. Leaving only

the most intransigent debtor requiring

court action

Invoice factoring, where you receive a

percentage of your outstanding invoices

straightaway while the factoring company

collects debts and takes the risks, is a

system that many companies find

suitable, but can be expensive. Asset

finance where a company borrows against

assets including outstanding invoices is

another tried and tested method.

A method of securing debt, particularly

when dealing with overseas companies, or

fulfilling large contracts which entail taking

on extra staff, buying new equipment or

investing in larger premises, is Credit

Insurance. A company takes out cover for

some or all of their order book to guard

against the possibly catastrophic results of

non-payment.

Having some of these systems in place

will reassure potential investors that yours

is a well-run business from

which they may reasonably

expect a return.

Business Finance

Business is about money, how to sourceit and how to get paid for your productsor services in a timely manner.


9

Aston Business School is pleased to announce thatapplications for the Small Business Charter GrowthVouchers Programme are open for small business ownerswho are passionate about growing their business.

Thousands of enterprises have already benefited from strategicsupport from business schools. This new roll out of theGovernment’s Growth Vouchers Programme, through six leadingbusiness schools holding the Small Business Charter, will allow smallbusinesses to access world class business support from leadinguniversity institutions.

Businesses can apply via the online application portalwww.sbcgrowthvouchers.co.uk, giving them the opportunity to takepart in a tailored Growth Voucher programme. This initiative offers£3,000 of Government match funding to small businesses, providingthem with access to high quality leadership and management training.

Aston Business School holds Gold Award status within the SmallBusiness Charter. The School received the Award in recognition ofthe role it has played in helping to support enterprise activity amongits student population and its innovative approach towards drivinggrowth in SMEs across the Midlands.

Teaming up with the Government’s Growth Vouchers programme isyet another way in which Aston Business School is helping tosupport the small business community.

Businesses can find the online application form by visitingwww.sbcgrowthvouchers.co.uk, or [email protected] for further information.

The Growth Vouchers programme is a pioneering governmentinitiative using a series of Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs)to gather evidence on the impact the support has on futurebusiness performance. This is the first ever RCT in the domainof business support.

Six business schools are participating in this pioneering project:Aston University, University College London, Southampton SolentUniversity, University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University andLoughborough University.

About the Small Business Charter

The Small Business Charter originated following Lord Young’s report‘Growing Your Business’, which was aimed at bringing businessschools, business and entrepreneurs closer together to deliversupport for small businesses and drive local economic growth.Delivered in partnership with the Association of Business Schools,and with the support of Lord Young and the Department forBusiness, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Small Business CharterAwards offers a springboard to unlocking support and investment forstudents, start-ups and small businesses. The Small BusinessCharter was launched at an event at No10 on 5th June 2014.

For more information about the SBC visit http://smallbusinesscharter.org/

For information about the Small Business Charter please contact:

Ian McNaught, Executive Director, Small Business CharterTel: 0207 634 9586, [email protected]

For information about the Association of Business Schools pleasecontact:

Barney Roe, Director of Strategic Marketing & External RelationsAssociation of Business Schools, Tel: 020 7634 9589, [email protected]

For information about Aston Business School please contact:

Alex Earnshaw, Press Officer, Aston University CommunicationsTel: 0121 204 4549, [email protected]

Wanted: Small businesses keen on a bigger future

Eligible businesses can apply for a £3,000 voucher tomatch fund the cost of strategic advice in the followingareas:

• Review of growth opportunity – competitor analysistools

• Cash flow and general financial management

• Marketing strategies for small business

• Managing people – HR strategies for a growing smallbusiness

• Process mapping – understanding where I add value inmy business

• Raising the finance for growth

• Planning next steps – with a business mentor

Growth

Vouchers


10

Local lender ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust) hasincreased the maximum size of its loans to £150,000 inresponse to increased demand from businesses unable toaccess the finance they need from the banks.

Steve Walker, Chief Executive of ART explains: “We havecontinued to lend at record levels over the past few monthsand are approving applications from businesses which thebanks would have supported in the past. The market ischanging and ART is changing with it. We have secured moremoney to lend, extended our reach across the West Midlandsand have now taken the decision to increase our maximumloan size from £100,000 to £150,000.”

Based at Innovation Birmingham Campus, ART is a CommunityDevelopment Finance Institution; committed to providing fairfinance to businesses looking to create or protect jobs butunable to secure any or all of the finance they need from the

BUSINESS LOANS

ARTbanks. “Quite often the banks have lent all they can already,”says Steve, “so we lend alongside them and other funders aspart of a package.”

ART lends to businesses in all sectors, including retail, for mostbusiness purposes, including to support cashflow. Money canbe made available quickly if necessary and can be repaid early,without penalty.

“There has been a concentration in recent years in schemesintroduced to support high-growth and large businesses,” saysSteve, “but over 99% of businesses in the UK are small tomedium sized and it’s those that ART is here to support. Ouraverage loan size in the last six months has been £35,000 –and that is enough to make a big difference to our borrowers.We fill a gap in the market left by the banks and help to boostthe local economy by giving our borrowers a chance to grow,survive or diversify that they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

The ART team personally assesses applications, based onexperience and understanding of a business and the peopleinvolved. The Loans Managers are knowledgeable aboutfinance and can help to put the most appropriate solution inplace. The highly experienced operations team ensures thatapproved loans are delivered speedily and efficiently. It is thissupportive approach which borrowers most often say theyappreciate about ART.

ART now lends up to £150,000 tosupport jobs and growth

The ART lending team :(L-R) Steve Walker, Graham Donaldson, Martin Edmonds,

Barbara Seaton, Andy King, Chris Allen-Lloyd

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe

In Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in the Great Western Arcade,Birmingham city centre, Ricky Manton has clearly found his element.Purchasing the franchise was a change in direction for the ex NHSHR Manager, and one on which both he and the business havethrived. A loan from ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust) provided avaluable cashflow buffer during his first year of trading.

“Applying for loan funding can be a rather daunting experiencewhen you first start out in business,” he says, “but the staff at ARTput me at ease. They were friendly and supportive. They knewBirmingham, the Great Western Arcade and the type of shopssituated there. I felt that they really understood and assessed myplans properly. I was more than just an anonymous statistic.”

To find out more, or apply for a loan, see www.artbusinessloans.co.uk or call ART on 0121 359 2444

Photography courtesy of Marc Kirsten.


11

Once a business has exhausted all of their normalcredit management procedures to recover moniesowed, using a specialist Solicitor is a cost effectiveway of recovering debts.

Lane and Co, established in 1978, is a niche Commercial DebtCollection Solicitor’s practice, specialising in Commercial(business to business) debt recovery and litigation services. Theirexperienced team, under the leadership of John Pitt (who headsup the Commercial Collection Department of the company) arewell regarded in their field and serve a broad range of clientsfrom PLC’s to smaller owner managed businesses.

Lane & Co have many longstanding clients and during thechallenging times of the recent recession were at hand to helptheir clients, both old and new to deal with difficult Debtors.

John Pitt told us “The practice takes a no-nonsense attitude todebt collection. Through our bespoke case management systemand pro-active approach, claims can be issued without delay toafford our clients the best opportunity to recover their debts”.

The initial stage in the process is a Letter Before Action to theDebtor to advise them that in the absence of payment the nextstage will be Court proceedings.

Often the customer will pay straight away once they hear froma Solicitor, particularly if the debt is uncontested.

Letters Before Action are sent on the day of receipt ofinstruction (charges for the letter start at £1.95 + VAT). Ifpayment is not received we are able to issue court proceedingson the same day if instructed.

Court proceedings are commenced through the Secure DataTransfer Service provided by HMCTS which saves time andincurs lower Court fees.

On a successful recovery the Debtor should pay the majorityof the costs as well as interest and late payment charges.

If proceedings are contested Lane & Co’s Litigation Departmentheaded by Mark Edwards is able to advise on the merits of anydefence including the best way of proceeding.

If late payment of invoices are a problem for your business, thesooner you tackle the issue the sooner it will be resolved. Thelikelihood of recovering your debt becomes less over time, soprompt action as part of standard credit control procedures is vital.

Contact Lane & Co for a free initial discussion, you will find thatthey offer a professional, pro-active and cost effective servicefor all businesses.

Bad debt is a fact of business life but late or non-payerscan cause businesses serious cash flow problems.

For more information please visitwww.lanes4claims.com

email [email protected] [email protected]

For an informal discussion telephone01922 700 730 24-26 Broadway North, WalsallWest Midlands, WS1 2AJ

A major force in commercial debt recovery

Lane & Co Solicitors


12

Choosing and managing your own investments isn't rocketscience but it does take time and dedication. So while many ofus start out enthusiastically, life often gets in the way, or werealise we’re not sufficiently interested to give our investmentsthe attention they need.

If any of this rings true, Tilney Bestinvest has a simple solution.Let them manage your investments for you.

They offer a range of tailored investment management solutionswhether you have £500, £50,000 or more than £250,000 toinvest and are equipped to access a range of investmentstrategies designed to meet your goals; leaving you to get onwith your life, safe in the knowledge that their Chief InvestmentOfficer and award-winning team is looking after your investments

For those with more complex financial needs, they offer anindividual financial planning service.

To find out how Tilney Bestinvest can help you achieve yourfinancial goals, please contact them on 03330 145 416 or [email protected] or visit tilneybestinvest.co.uk

Tilney Bestinvest is a leading UK investment and financialplanning firm that builds on a heritage of more than 180 years.They look after more than £9 billion of assets on behalf of ourclients and pride themselves on offering the very highest levelsof professional client service with transparent, competitivepricing across the entire range of solutions. They have anetwork of offices across the UK and combine award-winningresearch and expertise to provide a personalised service toclients whatever their investments needs.

Registered office: 6 Chesterfield Gardens, Mayfair, W1J 5BQIssued by Bestinvest (Brokers) Limited

find us on

The value of investments, and the income derived from them,can go down as well as up and you can get back less than youoriginally invested. If you are in doubt as to the suitability of aninvestment then you should seek professional advice. Pastperformance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

The Tilney Bestinvest Group of Companies comprises the firmsBestinvest (Brokers) Ltd (Reg. No. 2830297), Tilney InvestmentManagement (Reg. No. 02010520), Bestinvest (Consultants)Ltd (Reg. No. 1550116) and HW Financial Services Ltd (Reg.No. 02030706) all of which are authorised and regulated by theFinancial Conduct Authority.

About Tilney Bestinvest

Have a question or need some help with

your account? Get in touch today

03330 145 416www.tilneybestinvest.co.uk

[email protected]

IS IT TIME TO HAVEYOUR INVESTMENTSMANAGED?

Important information


13

He said that the company’s discretionary investment management processeswould remain unchanged following the takeover and that it would be businessas usual for clients.

Raftery added: “We will continue to take an approach which is bespoke andbuilt on a proper understanding of a client’s needs. The coming together ofthese businesses will, however, enable our clients to benefit from improvedaccess to existing and new solutions from Old Mutual Global Investors’ award-winning asset management capability.”

Last year alone the Birmingham office recorded double digit percentagegrowth in the funds we have under management.

Mr Raftery added that the wealth management sector in the city was thrivingand that they were witnessing 5% growth per year across the industry.

He said: “The current macro-economic conditions play to our strengths and weare witnessing a long term growth in the savings and investment industries.Birmingham is ideally placed as a financial and regional centre to capitalise on this.

“Our success is based on the fact that we are specialists in investmentmanagement. Our regulatory track record, the absence of institutional conflicts ofinterests and the transparency of our charges are just some of the reasons thatclients and professional introducers have remained loyal to us over the years.

“The depth of our relationships in Birmingham combined with the longevity andcontinuity of the senior team here, have all played a major part in our successin the city.”

Investors should remember that the value of investments and the incomefrom them can go down as well as up.

Quilter Cheviot Limited is registered in England with number01923571. Quilter Cheviot Limited has established a branch in Dublin,

Ireland with number 904906, is a member of the London StockExchange, is authorised and regulated by the UK Financial ConductAuthority, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct ofbusiness rules, under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 by theJersey Financial Services Commission for the conduct of investmentbusiness in Jersey and by the Guernsey Financial Services Commissionunder the Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 1987 to

carry on investment business in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.Accordingly, in some respects the regulatory system that applies will

be different from that of the United Kingdom.

A leading investment managementcompany has moved into Birmingham’smost prestigious office address to allow forexpansion.

Quilter Cheviot Investment Management, whichhas just celebrated 20 years in the city, hastaken a lease at Two Snowhill in the city’scentral business district.

The move from offices in Bennetts Hill reflectsthe company’s recent and anticipated growth.

It follows the announcement last week of theacquisition of Quilter Cheviot by Old MutualWealth for a consideration of up to £585m.Following approval from regulators, QuilterCheviot will become the discretionaryinvestment management business within OldMutual Wealth.

Quilter Cheviot’s Birmingham base is the largestregional office of its UK-wide network, managingsome £1.6bn of funds for private clients,charities and trusts.

The head of the office, Sean Raftery, said theoffice move was a reflection of the continuedgrowth of the company, which now employs 44people in the city.

He added: “It seems fitting we should need a newoffice exactly 20 years after setting up in the cityback in 1994, when Sir Norman Fowler openedour first office, and we should be moving in withindays of the Old Mutual Wealth announcement.”

City Investment Manager’s Expansion

TALK TO US0121 212 2120

email: [email protected] or visit us online www.quiltercheviot.com

Sean-Raftery


14

People have brilliant ideas every day; that eureka momentthat makes you stop and think, if I could turn this into abusiness, I would be very successful. But where do you gofrom there? Having a great idea is the easy part,progressing from that point is the challenge.

Setting up a new business is like planning an adventure holiday, withfinite time and resources. To get the most out of your journey youneed a budget for your costs; your choice of route will match thetime you have available and your choice of activity will depend uponyour interests, skills and passions.

If you have an idea, my advice would be to only consider developingit further if you feel passionate about it. Businesses, almost bydefault, go through hard times and good times so by choosing anidea that you are passionate about, you will have the drive to getthrough any bumps in the road.

Once you have an idea that you are passionate about, analyzing yourskill set is the next step. I always recommend that buddingentrepreneurs get experience in their industry of interest. This helps inforeseeing business issues that can arise in the future by providing aplatform for the entrepreneur to gain both product knowledge andtips on running a successful business, often from the ground up.

At this stage I would recommend seeking advice from a businessmentor with expertise knowledge. A mentor can help guide youthrough the initial start-up phase by using their experience,perspective and contacts. If you want to embark on a project thatneeds specialist expertise, a mentor is essential as you need tomake sure that you are trained or supported by those who knowthe industry.

With this in place you need to undertake competitor analysis whichis vital when setting up any business. You need to ask some hard-nosed, objective questions. Is there space in the market for yourbusiness? Is there a real need for it? Can this need be fulfilled, orovercome, in a cheaper way? In today’s harsh financial climate,everybody is cautious about the way they spend their money so,market research is essential but without giving your idea away.

Now that you have established that you have a great idea whichthe market needs, how are you going to secure funding? Businessfinance is increasingly hard to come by so you need to be realisticabout how much funding you need and remember that every start-up nearly always requires more time and money than budgeted forso try and be flexible to accommodate these changes. I believeone of the best places to start when it comes to securing fundingis your family if they have some extra money to invest.

If that is not an option, there are plenty of other alternatives outthere. Start-up finance options include bank funding and businessbank loans, overdrafts, credit cards, private equity or privateinvestment, angel investment and small business grants. Start-UpLoans, the government backed initiative to encourageentrepreneurship, could be a great way to secure a small loan toget your business up and running.

Once you have successfully turned your idea into a business the hardwork begins! You need to make sure that people know about yourbusiness and that the idea takes off. Efficient, well-planned sales andmarketing is the most important element to this and without it yourbusiness will fall flat. Therefore it is important to think through yourmarketing plan during the early stages starting up so that the rightmessages are conveyed to future customers.

Whatever route you take, turning your idea into a successful start-uptakes time, hard work and patience. You need to be determined tosucceed and have the courage to stand your ground. It can be adaunting process but one that is incredibly satisfying and worthwhile.

Bev James is a business mentor, best-selling author of DO IT! or DITCH IT, CEO of the Coaching Academy and Director of Mentoring at Start-Up Loans www.bevjames.com@Bev_James.

CEO of The Coaching Academy and Director of Mentoring at Start-Up Loans

Bev JamesHow to turn a good idea into a successful start-up

Bev James

32571 Bev James 7 1pg_CD Engineering 11/03/2014 16:09 Page 1

15

tasks, visualising product design and hard-to-access manufacturing processesas well as implementing non-destructive testing processes.”

“The technology can be used to simulate a wide variety of industries, meaningbusinesses working within aerospace, automotive, medical, construction,healthcare education and entertainment can apply the technology to makebreakthroughs in their own sectors. We have been excited to see MidlandsSMEs harness the power of this technology and make a real difference to theircommercial prospects.”

“The support provided has given some Midlands businesses the confidence todiversify and enter new markets, with some landing new internationalcontracts. Others have been able to realise innovative technologicalbreakthroughs by having the opportunity to test and trial new products orideas in a cost effective, reliable and safe environment before committingcapital expenditure.”

“Although the CASIM2 project has already exceeded our expectations, theproject is still able to support SMEs in the West Midlands until June 2015.We’re hoping by showcasing the success that has already been achieved,other companies will be inspired to find out more and get involved and wewelcome businesses to get in touch with the CASIM2 Business EngagementManager at [email protected].

New research recently released by theCentre for Advanced Simulation & Modelling(CASIM2) indicates that manufacturers inthe Midlands have exceeded expectations inrelation to the rate of adoption of leadingedge simulation technology.

With increasing numbers of the region’sengineering companies shifting their focustowards high-value advanced and specialistmanufacturing, simulation technology isrecognised as one route businesses can take tospeed up and reduce costs associated withresearch and development. In just over one year,a support programme to help manufacturersharness the power of simulation technology,which has been delivered by CASIM2, hasalready seen record numbers of SMEsparticipate. This has resulted in some immediatebenefits to the local business economy.

Over 50 SMEs from across the West Midlandsregion have participated within the ERDF-fundedCASIM2 programme, receiving 150 days ofexpertise from simulation technology expertsbased at the Manufacturing Technology Centreand the University of Birmingham. As a result ofthe assistance provided, many of the companieshave been able to commercialise their R&Dconcepts which has resulted in fresh business,new contracts and new jobs within the region. Afurther benefit to the regional economy isthrough the attraction of an estimated £4.2million of additional funding which companiessupported by CASIM2 have been able to accessin order to further progress their R&D activity.

CASIM2 Business Engagement Manager, MaxTurner of the University of Birmingham,comments: “The companies CASIM2 has alreadysupported have used simulation technology tomodel a vast range of activities includingcommissioning factories and cells, overcomingergonomic issues, analysing welding and robotic

Research reveals simulation technology is helping theWest Midlands to manufacture success

How CASIM2 has already helped Midlands manufacturers tap intosimulation technology

• Assembled Electronic Solutions (AES) was able to access simulationtechnology to prove the concept of a new industrial machine before physicalproduction commenced. They have since won a long term contract with amajor PLC and begun to explore global opportunities.

• Architects Hickman & Smith visualised the architectural design of theredevelopment of Parton Mill, enabling the client Bob Panther to walkthrough their new ‘Grand Design’ before the ground had even been broken.

• Coventry & Warwickshire Aerospace Forum (CWAF) was able to identifyareas of improvement for their manufacturing resource planning processes,particularly in relation to the aerospace supply chain. This gave thecompanies involved the evidence, knowledge and guidance to improve theircapacity planning and output.

• JJ Churchill Ltd began plans for a new facility in Mexico and was able touse simulation modelling to determine the best possible layout for a newmanufacturing cell for the new site, ensuring the new operation would havethe right facilities, equipment and systems to result in minimum costs.

• Smethwick Drop Forge was able to visually illustrate and simulate theprocess that would be needed in order to work with a new material to beused for a large project with a new customer. This support meant they wereable to fulfil the client brief while working efficiently and profitably.

• Innovate 2 Make Ltd (i2M) required external expertise to carry out acalibration project on the laser used within their additive manufacturingprocesses. They needed to ensure the physical 3D printed objects preciselymirrored the CAD designs and by being able to analyse the performance ofthe laser, they were provided with external validation of their process.

33185 Advertorial_HorseWorld 14/01/2015 13:19 Page 1

16

Got a great idea for a business but not sure where to turn for help andadvice? Research shows that you are more likely to succeed in startinga new business with the support and guidance of a business mentor.

The West Midlands Incubation Programme (WMIP) draws on CoventryUniversity's wealth of expertise in business and innovation support to providefree business mentoring support and advice to people who want to start anddevelop businesses in the West Midlands.

WMIP’s professional business mentors can work with people looking to startup new businesses in a wide range of business sectors, and are particularlykeen to support the following sectors:

Successful applicants to the programme are eligible to receive up to 2 days offree one-to-one mentoring support, worth over £1,700. You can also benefitfrom attending a programme of free seminars and workshops aimed atproviding practical information and guidance on a range of business topics

such as sales and marketing techniques,website development, social media, networkingand communication.

Participation in the WMIP programme alsoprovides the opportunity to find out more aboutCoventry University's range of other businessincubation services, including flexible officefacilities (both physical and virtual) and specialistsupport in developing your products or services.

So what are you waiting for? Help is just theclick of a mouse away, get in touch and startgrowing your business today!

For more information please visitwww.wmincubation.co.uk

or telephone +44 (0) 24 7615 8107

Follow us @WMincubation

West MidlandsIncubation Programme

WMIP


WMIP FREE business consultancy on starting a new company in the West Midlands*

Thinking of starting a business in the West Midlands?

Boost your chances of success with support from a WMIP business mentor.

Take advantage of WMIP’s free one-to-one mentoring and coaching service to help you get your new business up and running.

Our experienced business advisors can help you in key areas such as:

• Assessing the feasibility and sustainability of your business idea

• Financial planning for the business

• Developing a robust business plan

• Marketing and selling your products or services

For more information on how we can help you, contact us at:Tel: 024 7615 8107 Email: [email protected]

www.wmincubation.co.uk

*Subject to eligibility

• Environment Technologies • Transport Technologies

• ICT and Digital Media • Building Technologies

• Medical Technologies • Business and Professional Services

33162 HPD_HorseWorld 12/01/2015 13:26 Page 1

17

When you start out in business there is so much to thinkabout, developing your product or service, creating abusiness plan, finding premises, marketing and publicity, thatit is only too easy to overlook insurance.

The problem of what, and how, and for how much, canoverwhelm new business owners and Start-Up companies, andit is important to take advice. Just think about the effect of yourfirst consignment being lost or damaged; the tight margins anynew business operates under would very soon be eroded.

Established in June 1971, by Dr Dharam Duggal PhD and DrSaroj Duggal PhD, Crownsway Insurance Brokers Ltd has beenproviding help and best advice to a wide range of businesses inthe Birmingham area and beyond for 43 years and pridethemselves on being one of the first Punjabi (Indian) underwriters.

Their experience allied with their independent status means thatthey are able to provide their clients with a unique balance ofprofessional expertise, service and of course value for money.

Dr Saroj Duggal PhD, explained, “With over 43 years ofexperience we understand the importance of listening to ourclients and work in partnership with them to ensure we deliver,based on their needs for clear, accurate professional adviceand service.”

They find that a Commercial Combined Insurance which is ageneric term which refers to the bringing together of a range ofcovers that are most commonly required by businesses intoone single policy, is often the most suitable for a wide range ofbusinesses and commercial activities.

When you sit down with one of the experienced, friendlyadvisors at Crownsway they will go through your requirementswith you and tailor a commercial policy to suit your particularcircumstances. Although this sounds expensive, in fact thepackaging of the risks has the advantage of increasedcompetitiveness, allied with fewer opportunities for gaps incover and simplified administration for you.

Crownsway currently support over 34,000 individual, businessand intermediary clients across the UK and they are proud ofthe relationships they have developed over the years. As DrDharam Duggal PhD said “As a family run business we arepassionate about the service we provide. We fully understandthe importance of enabling our clients to deal with the samecontact within our business, who will know and understandtheir requirements. By having that continuity of relationship weare able to establish confidence and trust.

Crownsway Insurance is an independent insurancebroker authorised and regulated by the Financial

Conduct Authority and is entered on the FCA register(www.fsa.gov.uk/register) under references 306797.

To find out more about how they can help, please call 0121 554 3566

or email [email protected]

Crownsway is able to arrange covers for:

• Religious Organisations

• Restaurants, Fish and Chip Shops, Takeaways

• Retail Shops of all trades

• Commercial Combined

• Liability Insurance

• Landlord Insurance

One of the UK’s leading independent,standard and non standard insurancescheme management underwriters.

CROWNSWAYEST 1971

I N S U R A N C E B R O K E R S L I M I T E D

Established 1971


18

Levi Roots

Levi Roots was in Birmingham on

November 17th for the launch of Global

Entrepreneurship Week in the Midlands.

His own pitch at Dragon’s Den was

legendary as he sang his way to investment

for his Reggae Reggae Sauce. Fast forward

seven years and Levi Roots is an inspiration

to entrepreneurs around the world with an

estimated net worth of £35 million. He

teamed up with Entrepreneurial Spark®

powered by NatWest to mark Global

Entrepreneurship Week and was the

headline act at the #PitchOff event at

Birmingham’s iconic Custard Factory.

#Pitchoff was a completely free event for

any entrepreneur who wanted to learn how

to take their business to the next level. Levi

Roots talked about his amazing journey and

shared the challenges he faced and

overcame to get to where he is today.

Levi Roots said; “I was delighted to be in

Birmingham to meet fellow entrepreneurs.

It’s so difficult when you are starting out,

and not everybody will have the chance to

appear on primetime television to pitch your

business like I did. So to be able to access

completely free business advice and

support from Entrepreneurial Spark®

powered by NatWest is an incredible thing

and I would encourage anybody out there

who has an idea or a dream to talk to these

guys and see how they can help you.”

Professor Jim Duffy, CEO at Entrepreneurial

Spark® said; “We are all really excited to

have Levi Roots on board – he is an icon.

Since we announced that we were opening

our free business accelerator hub in

Birmingham we have met some great

people from the business community here

and met many more during Global

Entrepreneurship Week. We put on a

packed agenda for the #PitchOff event that

offered inspiration as well as very practical

help on how to grow your business.”

In a twist to how he started, Levi was on

the judging panel for #PitchOff where

entrepreneurs pitched their idea in 60

seconds for the opportunity to win:

• a bespoke advertising campaign for

their business, including the services

of an advertising agency and the

production and placement of

advertising posters in up to 10 local

RBS or NatWest branches

• a place in their nearest Entrepreneurial

Spark® accelerator where they will

receive free office space, IT support,

mentoring and networking

opportunities

• a one hour business review with

Entrepreneurial Spark CEO Jim Duffy

Levi continued; “I know what it’s like to

have an idea that you are so passionate

about but convincing other people that it’s

worthy of investment is really tough so I

wish them the best of luck!”

Lee Currier, Entrepreneur Development

Manager from NatWest said; “The event

proved to be a great day. We know from

our business customers that securing

investment is one of the most daunting

but fundamental parts of growing a

business so we really hope that

entrepreneurs left the day feeling informed

and confident.”

In addition to a keynote speech from Levi

Roots and the #PitchOff competition, the

event included a packed agenda of

inspiring sessions on the topic of raising

investment. Attending entrepreneurs learnt

how to build an “A team”, heard from a

funding panel and had the opportunity to

speak to a host of entrepreneurs that have

been through the business accelerator

programme with Entrepreneurial Spark®

and can share highs and lows from their

own personal entrepreneurial journey.

Levi Roots shares the success of his“secret sauce” at the Custard Factory


19

There have been big changes at Air &Ground, who serve the aviation industry, asthey streamline their operation under threecore business models, Warehousing,Distribution and Inventory Management,and a fresh new look at these domains.

Matthew Powell, Supply Chain and SupportDirector, told us, “We are in a unique businessarena and in order to break it down to a moreunderstandable format we have created 5 newcorporate images, covering Parts Supply,Contract Management, Warehousing,Distribution, and Inventory Management.

Air & Ground has over 15 years’ experience inthe management of Logistics processes forother companies, from storing and handlingconsignments to the management of a supplychain of small to large items. They can bothstore and distribute, using their detailedcomputer system, warehousing facilities andhighly qualified and experienced staff. Our teamof aviation, civil and ex-military specialise in themanagement of all nature of goods and systemsthat is focused on Quality, Safety and theenvironment.

Air & Ground has access to a number of securefacilities with flexible capabilities to best suitbusiness operational requirements and minimiseyour company’s expenditure and maximise itsprofitability.

Matt said, “We will support your long-termwarehousing strategy, but also offer qualitymanagement of your seasonal and temporaryrequirements.” They believe in doing extra fortheir customers, and are rather different fromthe normal storage company in the great levelsof service they offer, not just storing, butmanaging your materials and their distribution toyour best advantage. If you hit a problem, theyprobably already have the answer and are thereto help with well-founded and positive advice.

There is no need to have any concerns about what sort of items and materialsyou need to store and distribute. Air & Ground can provide solutions for largeor awkward items, vehicles, aircraft, and containers to aviation spare partsincluding wing components for the A380 Airbus. Air & Ground can manage itall; their high-density storage and distribution capabilities are ideally aligned tohandle consignment stock.

Using an efficient service to handle your warehousing and distribution needs hasconsiderable cost saving benefits, quite apart from being far more convenient.

| Aviation House | London Road | Shirleywich |

Why should you choose Air and Ground for yourwarehousing and distribution needs? First and foremost,efficiency, the benefits of their outstanding Logisticsservices include as standard:

• Next day shipment to NATO countries

• Worldwide Export Capability

• Packaging standards exceeding commercial and militaryspecifications

• Kitting capability to enhance your production times

• Improved lead times to supplying your client’s needs

• Just in Time (JIT) solutions for you and your customers

• Marine and cargo third party liability insurance

• Virtual customer control with full tracking

• Latest stock control and bar coding system

• Strategically located near major UK airports and motorways

• Trained, experienced and friendly staff

• Capability to market your surplus and excesses

• Contingency measures to continue operating 24/7/365

Delivering the best service and productswithin the Aviation industry.

33048 DPS_HorseWorld 26/11/2014 16:37 Page 1

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Avoiding additional premises costs for storage and enablingyou to make better use of your own floor space, reducingstaffing costs - no need to employ and train appropriatelyqualified staff, and eliminating the need to hire, purchase andmaintain specialist lifting equipment, fork lift trucks etc.

Air & Ground’s detailed stock analysis software will help tocontrol your stock levels to ensure that you only carry what youneed, while still making sure that you have sufficient materialsas and when you need them thus minimising stock costs whilereducing downtime, all key savings.

Using Air & Ground will facilitate all aspects of your entireoperation, with critical parts and products held at the ready,and easy drop off and call off plans; all designed to enable youto meet your planning and production needs resulting in aseamless, and improved customer service.

A key concern for many of us is security, but clients are happyto let Air & Ground take care of everything, their bondedfacilities are compliant with the regulations covering hazardousmaterials, they are covered by JSP (the MOD regulations

covering storage ) and ITAR (International Traffic in Arms). Theyare thus able to offer complete security of both materials anddata, their facilities being monitored by 24 hour CCTV andsecurity alarmed by ADT.

Despite the economic downturn that has affected manycompanies, Air & Ground continues to support local charities, inparticular the Donna Louise Trust and the Staffordshire Searchand Rescue Team with the donation of a Landrover vehicleequipped to operate in all weather conditions.

The future is looking bright for Air & Ground as they take offinto a new chapter in their story. M.D. Ian Dodds is excitedabout the company’s future and their smart new corporateimage, and he is delighted by the rapid growth they arecurrently experiencing, developing new business andsuccessfully negotiating new distribution agreements.

Get in touch to see what they can do for yourcompany, you’ll soon be wondering why you

didn’t get in touch with them before.

Air & Ground Ltd | Aviation House | London Road | Shirleywich | Staffordshire | ST18 0PN

airandground.com or call 01889 271777

[email protected]

We will offer :

• Accountability.

• Best Practice

• Continuous Improvement.

• Innovative approach to heritage support.

• Maintaining business and professionalstandards.

• Risk Management

• Providing customers with clear value for money.

• Proactive and flexible interaction.

33048 DPS_HorseWorld 26/11/2014 16:37 Page 2

21

In the fast-paced and constantly changingworld of Managed Cloud Hosting CWCS standhead and shoulders above its competitors.

Not only is CWCS’s Supreme Cloud one of thefastest and best performing Cloud platforms inthe hosting industry, but their highly trained staffare absolutely committed to delivering a greatcustomer experience and genuinely passionateabout what they do.

Karl Mendez, MD and founder, is looking forwardto the next few years, and says that 2014/15 isan exciting time for CWCS Managed Hosting.

He tells us of some recent and forthcomingdevelopments, saying, “We have recentlyintegrated EMC SSD Cached Storage into ourSupreme Cloud Server Platform. In partnershipwith Barracuda we have recently launched aCloud and Dedicated Server Load BalanceSolution. We have also launched DDoSMitigation for our Network as well as an onlineCloud Backup Solution, and there are manyother products and services planned for themonths to come so the future is looking bright.”

Karl formed the business in 1999, initiallystarted in the bedroom connecting to a singlehosted server. 15 years later, CWCS ManagedHosting has become the leading ManagedHosting provider it is today, offering acomprehensive range of hosting products,services and support.

Solutions from their two privately owned DataCentres in Nottinghamshire include CloudHosting using HP and EMC hardware withVMware virtualisation, Dedicated Servers

offering unlimited bandwidth, Colocation, Virtual Private Servers, Web Hostingand Fully Managed Services, all backed up by their 24/7 UK support team.

They have access to additional Data Centre facilities in London, Miami, Dallasand Toronto.

Many of us are only just getting used to the whole concept of the Cloud, andCloud Hosting services and don’t know what would be most appropriate forour business, or how to take best advantage of the opportunities the Cloudoffers in terms of connectivity and reliability and uptime guarantees.

It may be that you aren’t ready for the full package and would find CWCS’sShared Hosting services, sufficient for your requirements; they are highly cost-effective and straightforward. Then when it comes to upgrade, talk to the teamabout Dedicated Server and Cloud Hosting packages which offer majorimprovements in terms of control, reliability, performance and flexibility.

For a single source to take care of all the complexity and deliver a functioningsolution with a single phone number to call if things go wrong, and to establishwhat services are most appropriate for your business, have a chat to one ofCWCS’s friendly team. Whatever your requirements, they will be happy to help,by live chat and in plain English, without any unnecessary jargon.

The future is here and it’s on the Cloud; don’t get left behind!

For more information please visit the websitewww.cwcs.co.uk

where you can click on live chat to speak to someone,telephone 0115 740 1234 or email [email protected]

The Leading Managed HostingSpecialists in the UK

MANAGED HOSTING

Karl-Mendez


22

Back in the 1960s Mick Jagger wasalready shouting “hey, you get off ofmy cloud”. But even he couldn’tpredict the 21st century digitalrevolution that is transforming globalmarket places.

Rather than getting off, more and more ofus are getting on. Global informationspecialist IHS Technology believesworldwide spending on Cloudinfrastructure and services will hit just over£140billion by 2017,and, according tonew research from BT Business andBritish Chambers of Commerce (BCC),60% of UK small and medium-sizedenterprises (SMEs) are already usingCloud-based applications.

In a nutshell, using the Cloud meanscomputing based on the internet. Nowthere’s no need work in a program fromsoftware installed onto the computer itselfor a server within a company building.Instead you can access the sameapplications through the internet.Wherever and on whatever you have forinternet access.

Emails via free services such as Yahoo!Mail and Gmail, backup and filesharing are the most obviousactivities but things once thepreserve of big companieswith big budgets are alsowithin reach of smallerorganisations,

Customer relationship managementsystems which store client informationand track when contact’s made, forexample, can be costly and time-consuming. By accessing a Cloud-basedservice, however, only an internet log-in isrequired. Installing and setting up yourown entire system is unnecessary. It’s asimilar case with finding a network server.These, too, can be expensive but insteadof buying one, companies can now rentand access via the web. It’s managed byanother company and businesses just payto use it.

And for all those documents that needediting: once office suites were the mostfrequently used pieces of software butfiles could only be edited on a computerwhere they were installed and they were

often expensive. Thanks to the Cloud, it’snow possible to log in and work ondocuments, spreadsheets and much morefrom anywhere.

Cloud, as anyone with their finger on thekeyboard button will be aware, is definitelythe place where it’s all at and, despite itsfloating around for 10 years; it’s only nowthat we’re seeing signs of how it affectsworking practices.

Not least through the attitudes of ayounger digital savvy multi-deviceoperating generation, brought up with anever-open window on the world-wideweb.Not for them sitting at the samedesk, 40 hours a week, month in, monthout. Some are even predicting that thosewho remain office-bound all week willbecome as “outdated as the landline andfax machine”.

Not sure? Well look at how the workplacereally is changing, the BT Business andBritish Chambers of Commerce survey toexamine how UK SMEs use and benefitfrom technology, revealed that more than86% per cent had one or more staffmembers who regularly worked from

home. Almost half had staff working awayfrom the office at least once a week, while28% had someone working remotelyevery day.

Of those interviewed, 43% believedCloud-based applications were a criticalelement of effective flexible working, withmore than half suggesting that remoteaccess to company data was essential.

And yet, it’s not all sunshine. There arestorm clouds about.

A survey from UK-leading businesstechnology magazine Computing foundthat the Cloud was not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution for SMEs, which, itpointed out, can have very specialisedneeds and may be better served bydedicated staff in-house.

And then there are always the securityfears. How safe is your data up on thatCloud?

Trend Micro, a global leader in Cloudsecurity argues that data securitystandards are likely to be higher in aprovider’s environment than in yourown business, especially if thatprovider has ISO and other keyindustry standard accreditations. Italso maintains that Cloud providershave greater physical and financial

resources to withstand data securitythreats to their infrastructure, but pointsout that the onus is on you to check whereyour data is stored and what securitymeasures your provider has in place.

Whatever the concerns, Cloud is certainly here to stay. Dr. Adam Marshall,executive director of policy, BritishChambers of Commerce, says: “Flexible and remote working are crucialfor companies across Britain, and Cloud-based files and applications make thispossible. Businesses are working in newand different ways, but easy access toinformation and communication tools areabsolutely essential. Everything suggeststhat businesses dependence on the Cloud is growing, and will continue toincrease in future.”

Does every cloudhave a silver lining?


23

Cloud Computing has long been thebuzzword in technology circles butit remains shrouded in mystery.Who is the provider? Where is mydata? Is it safe? And do thesepeople understand my business?

Six Degrees Group, a convergedtechnology infrastructure providerserving UK mid-market and corporatecustomers, has owned and operateddatacentres in the Birmingham areafor over 10 years. We are an award-winning cloud provider who hosts

websites and IT environments for some of the world’s leading brandsand are particularly proud to provide a managed hosting hub tocompanies in the Midlands area.

We believe that businessesseeking cloud services areprimarily concerned withregulatory compliance issuessuch as Data Sovereignty andData Security, and that theyrequire enterprise-gradeservices, not those of consumer-grade. Our cloud services aredesigned on the premise thatone size does not fit all.

At 6DG, we own and operate our own UK based datacentres, givingus complete and secure gate-to-rack control of the hosting

environment where we build bespoke private cloudsolutions for our demanding clientele. Our Midlandsfacility is home to our 24/7 Network OperationsCentre where we support our UK-wide customers.You can visit us any time to see where your datalives.

Alastair Mills, CEO, commented on the advantages ofworking with 6DG: “We are a local business with aglobal footprint, we control all the assets that powerour services, we have a wide range of securityaccreditations, and we have fantastic people on-siteto help our customers.”

uu with us.ectCo

At Six Degrees Group, we are accredited to ISO27001, PCI-DSS and CESG Official security standards.

Call 020 7858 4935 or email [email protected] to find out more.

@6degreesgroupwww.6dg.co.uk

We believe that everyone should be connected.


24

The PensionsRegulator

Small employers in Birmingham and Bristol are being warned

to act now to ensure they are ready to meet their new

workplace pension duties which will soon apply to them.

All employers have a legal duty to automatically enrol certain

staff into a workplace pension scheme by a deadline that is

specific to them. This includes small businesses – from chip

shops, to florists to news agents and pubs. The law also

applies to employers who have one worker – for example a

personal assistant.

A national print and radio advertising campaign launched last

autumn by The Pensions Regulator has called on employers to

take action. The message is simple: if you are an employer

then you will have new duties.

The regulator has published details of its enforcement activity

showing it has issued its first fixed penalty notices - £400 fines

– to employers who had failed to meet their duties. The

regulator has a range of powers to tackle non-compliance

including serving fixed and escalating penalties notices.

Research by the regulator has shown that 20% of small

employers and 40% of really small employers (those with up to

4 workers) do not know their staging date. The staging date is

a date set in law and is when an employer’s legal duty starts.

There are a number of tasks employers will need to do before

this date however and the regulator recommends making a

start 12 months beforehand.

It is vital employers do not guess their staging date. They

should use the staging date tool on The Pension Regulator’s

website. It takes just a few minutes but they should have their

PAYE details to hand. Employers can then use the handy time

line planner tool

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/planning

-for-automatic-enrolment.aspx

which will help show what they will need to do and by when

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/employers/tools/st

aging-date.aspx

There is lots of information on the regulator’s website and it has

recently been refreshed to make it easier for small employers to

use.

Employers should consider whether they need to find an

adviser, such as an accountant or bookkeeper to help them.

They will also need up to date information about their staff and

they should check if any existing payroll arrangements are

suitable for implementing automatic enrolment. A pension and

payroll system should be in place at least 6 months before their

staging date. As thousands of employers will be doing the

same it makes sense not to leave these tasks to the last

minute.

Five months after the staging date, employers must complete a

declaration of compliance with The Pensions Regulator, this is a

statutory requirement.

www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk

Small employers warned: workplacepensions are here, act now, it’s the law

The Pension Regulator’s executive director ofautomatic enrolment, Charles Counsell said:

‘Tens of thousands of

small employers will be

required by law to

automatically enrol their

staff from June this year.

Smaller businesses may

be more likely to leave

things until the last

minute which will put

them at risk of

enforcement action by

the regulator. The

regulator expects that

with significantly more

employers subject to the

new duties, it will use its

compliance powers more

frequently.

‘Starting plans in good time however can help avoid the

risk of non compliance. Larger businesses which have

already introduced automatic enrolment agree it’s wise to

plan ahead and take a step by step approach.’

Charles Counsell

33119 1pg 2_Carford Group 16/01/2015 12:48 Page 1

25

Barnett Waddingham is the UK’s largest

independent provider of actuarial,

administration and consultancy services

with seven offices throughout the UK.

YOUR COMPLETE AUTO ENROLMENT

SOLUTION

AUTO-ENROLMENT WHY IT IS NECESSARY, THE COSTS IN TERMS OF CONTRIBUTIONS, AND THE RISKS FOR EMPLOYERS WHO DO NOT COMPLY?

This all sounds quite straightforward. In reality, complying with

auto-enrolment is not straightforward. In order to avoid a repeat

of the stakeholder plan initiative (a previous attempt to get

people into pensions, which is widely considered to have been

unsuccessful), this legislation was written so that employers must

comply. This has resulted in a set of complex rules with fines

if employers do not comply. The first fines have already been

issued, showing that the legislation will be enforced.

The workplace pension schemes used must be ‘qualifying’, and

there are a number of factors which determine this. This means

that existing schemes cannot always be used – and in all cases we

have been involved with, there have needed to be some tweaks.

Contribution levels are an area where an employer does have

some flexibility, as the minimum employer and total contribution

levels depend upon whether an employer chooses to base

contributions on basic pay, total pay, or one of the other available

pensionable earnings definitions.

Calculating the costs of contributions is fairly straightforward,

if the employer knows who needs to be auto-enrolled. The

legislation simply splits ‘workers’ into groups (those who do and

do not need to be auto-enrolled). However, what an employer

needs to do is consider, ‘what is a worker’? A fair assumption

would be anyone who has a contract of employment. This is not

always the case, as ‘workers’ can include contractors, partners

and individuals on a self-employed contract.

Ensuring compliance is key for most employers, and navigating

their way through the legislation can be as much of a drain on

resources for employers as contributions, for those employers who

choose to work their way through the compliance themselves.

The second article in our series will be looking at the

challenges in putting auto-enrolment in place, including

who needs to be taken into account when looking at auto-

enrolment (you may be surprised) variable earnings and

zero hours workers.

P O W E R E D B Y B A R N E T T W A D D I N G H A M

& S T A N D A R D L I F E

The UK has a pensions crisis. Too many people are not saving enough for retirement,

resulting in a pensions ‘black hole’ as too many people rely on the State pension alone.

The Government’s response was to introduce what they believed was a simple duty on

employers to put all workers into a workplace pension schemes.

CALCULATING THE COSTS OF CONTRIBUTIONS IS FAIRLY STRAIGHT-FORWARD, IF THE EMPLOYER KNOWS WHO NEEDS TO BE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED.

“”

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SEE OUR ANIMATION VISIT WWW.BARNETT-WADDINGHAM.CO.UK/AE

[email protected] 01527 300091

The firm comprises 62 partners and over 645

employees. Our Workplace Health and Wealth

team consists of over 35 DC specialists and 6

health experts.

Through our specialised DC consultancy, we

advise employers in delivering appropriate DC

pension strategies to attract, motivate and

retain staff. Our experienced communications

team can help promote those benefits to

maximise engagement with your workforce.

33127 QPD - MUST BE LEFT HAND PAGE_HorseWorld 14/01/2015 10:13 Page 1

26

At Charles Stanley Financial Solutions we pride ourselvesin giving clients a solutions-orientated service,characterised by a high level of specialist adviceresulting in clients benefiting from our experience andour ‘get to the answer faster’ attitude. We have anestablished track record of assisting clients from theinitial design of a benefits package through to,communication, establishment, and ongoing supportacross all employee benefits, including auto-enrolment.

As an employer you will now be aware, following contact fromThe Pensions Regulator (TPR), that you face some new statutoryduties in running your business. These new duties are intendedto help more people save for their retirement- the directregulatory contact is to ensure that you fully understand what isrequired of your business and that you are expected to introducethe statutory requirements to your existing business model.

Auto-enrolment means big changes and big challenges formany companies. The good news is that we can help.

Charles Stanley Financial Solutions has all of the necessaryexperience and expertise to guide you successfully through theautomatic-enrolment legislation. Our highly qualified staff andmarket leading software is already supporting our largeremployer clients with the significant compliance andgovernance requirements of this legislation. It is essential toplan a strategy which has in place a qualifying pension schemetogether with software that can not only adequately assess butcan also communicate with workers to ensure full complianceunder automatic-enrolment legislation.

We can certainly help you to achieve compliance with thisexacting statutory requirement.

Auto-Enrolment and your business

Pensions

0121 452 2976 www.csfs.co.uk

AUTO-ENROLMENT IS NOW HERE.GET YOUR BUSINESS PREPARED...

Charles Stanley Financial Solutions provide a complete solution for all your Auto-Enrolment needs. We can help you prepare to meet the challenge.

Auto-Enrolment – Are You Prepared?

Big Changes for All Companies

Automatic Enrolment is not an Employer Choice

For More Information:

Call our dedicated team on 0121 452 2976 or email us at [email protected]

www.csfs.co.uk/automatic-enrolment

Charles Stanley Financial Solutions Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Charles Stanley Group PLC and is registeredin England – No. 2131269. Registered office: 25 Luke Street, London, EC2A 4AR. Authorised and regulated by the Financial

Conduct Authority.


27

Auto-enrolment is hereAuto-enrolment has already started for larger organisations and by 2018, every business must operate a pension scheme for qualifying employees, with employee and employer contributions being paid.

Although 2018 may seem like a long way off, there is still a lot to do. To make sure employers meet their requirements for auto-enrolment, they should start planning now.

Nicklin LLP can help your business prepare for auto-enrolment compliance, providing help and guidance throughout the whole process; from helping you assess the cost for your company and providing assistance in setting up or reviewing your pension arrangements, to managing your payroll function so that you are fully auto-enrolment compliant.

We have also prepared a free auto-enrolment pack which is available on our website and includes a comprehensive guide to auto-enrolment compliance as well as a useful Q&A guide to answer all of your auto-enrolment queries. Download yours at: www.nicklins.co.uk

Contact us to find out how we can help you, call 0121 550 9916 or email [email protected]

Intentionally Different

www.nicklins.co.uk


28

“Auto-enrolment will impact your business in a number of ways- some more obvious than others - and employers need toallow time to fully understand what’s involved in meeting therequirements; whether that’s investing time and resource tomake an existing pension scheme compliant, or setting up anew one from scratch. You’ll need to pull in a support teamincluding payroll, providers, HR, IT and assess the eligibility ofyour whole workforce and the data systems you have in place.There are many moving parts.

And of course, the most important factor in all of this isemployees. It is your duty as an employer to ensure youremployees are fully aware of when and how they will beimpacted – bearing in mind that some members of yourworkforce may have very little or no understanding of pensions.Communications must be direct, clear and comprehensive –and also timely to ensure that employees can take action”.

Our specialist Elect team is working with smaller employersacross all industries to help them prepare for and implement allof the stages of auto-enrolment. We also offer an Elect pensionsolution, which has been designed to be fully compliant withthe new rules and, like all our products, was built to meet thespecific needs of smaller employers with streamlinedadministration processes, highly competitive charges, anddedicated support from our team. Contact our team or visit ourwebsite to find out more about the Elect service and access awide range of auto-enrolment materials.

www.electemployeebenefits.co.uk

Call us at 0800 0232 785

Mercer Marsh Benefits is a service provided by Mercer Ltd whichis authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.Registered in England and Wales No. 984275. Registered Office: 1

Tower Place West, Tower Place, London, EC3R 5BU.

Marsh Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial ConductAuthority. Registered in England and Wales No. 1507274. Registered

Office: 1 Tower Place West, Tower Place, London EC3R 5BU.

Copyright 2014 Mercer LLC. All rights reserved.

Workplace pension law has changed and every UKemployer, from the largest to the smallest, will need toautomatically enrol their employees into a workplacepension plan. With larger companies having alreadycompleted the process, the spotlight is now on smallemployers – some 1.25 million in the UK – to ensure theycomply with their new workplace pensions over thecoming months. The Pensions Regulator has a range ofpowers to tackle non-compliance including servingemployers with penalties and its guidance to companieswith right down to just one employee is very clear: “Actnow. It’s the law.”

At Elect we recognise the extra challenge that SMEs face inmaking sure they’re compliant with the new legislation. “Thenew rules are complex and companies who don’t have in-house pensions specialists will find them onerous and timeconsuming to deal with. But the important thing is to make astart!” Donna Biggs, UK Head of Elect explained.

Auto-enrolment – don’t leave it too late!

NEED ANSWERS ON AUTO-ENROLMENT?

Elect by Mercer Marsh Benefits — employee benefits made simple for SMEs. Visit our website at www.electemployeebenefits.co.uk or call 0800 0232 785.

Whether you already have a pension for your staff and need to ensure compliance or you are introducing one for the first time, the Elect team can help you get to grips with auto-enrolment.

13824-AD-191214

33130 QPD 2_HorseWorld 16/01/2015 10:25 Page 1

29

The e-coat process (or cathodic paint process) is used by everymajor automotive manufacturer in the world. Over 95% of theworld’s motor vehicles are primer protected with the cathodicelectrocoat process.

The electrophoretic (e-coat) painting process isuniversally used on allmodern vehicle shells,bracketry and panels.Designed to offer inexcess of 1,000 hourssalt spray resistance, itis widely regarded as thebest available anti-corrosion primer paintfor mild steel.

Components areimmersed in a pre-treatment process thatdeposits a corrosionresistant layer of

Producing a polished performance since 1978, FoleshillPlating Co Ltd is a leading metal finishing company,working mainly for the automotive sector, with areputation for providing high quality finishes.

The company are accredited to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO14001:2004 and have steadily built on their wide capabilitiesand capacities over the years and now offer a broad range ofdifferent plating and metal finishing services including zincplating and powder coating.

Foleshill Plating is also offering e-coating as the latest additionto their range of high quality finishes from a new, purpose builte-coating plant.

New e-coating plant to be fullyoperational March 2015.

33094 3 PG_HorseWorld 15/01/2015 12:22 Page 1

30

Zn/Mn/Ni (Tricat)Phosphate, providingexcellent penetration toareas that would beimpossible to reach witha spray gun.

They are then immersedinto the PPGElectrophoretic EpoxyPrimer which iselectrically bonded tothe surface before beingcured in an oven at180ºC for 45 minutesleaving an impermeable,durable primer finish.

There is no better way to add front line corrosion protectioncoating to a complex assembly like a vehicle body shell.

Mr Gurpal Thadwal, Company Secretary, told us a little moreabout their facilities. “The plating plant is designed to handlecomponents of various shapes and sizes ranging from nuts andbolts to shop fittings, household to large machine bed platesweighing up to one ton. The zinc plant can plate parts up to5m in length and the e-coat plant can accommodate sizes ofup to 4m.

We also have a fully fitted laboratory in which we complete thechemical analysis of the plating solutions and salt spray testingof components.”

This year the company is working towards achieving TS: 16949automotive quality standard.

Our specialist insurance team in Birmingham are pleased to work with Foleshill Plating and wish them every success with their new expansion.

0121 456 1460bluefingroup.co.uk

Think insuranceexperts.

Think.

Stewart, Fletcher & BarrettManor Court ChambersTownsend Drive, NuneatonWarwickshire CV11 6RUt: (024) 7638 4171e: [email protected]: www.sfb.uk.com

The SFB Group……helping YOU achieve

YOUR goals

Congratulations toFoleshill Plating Companyon their ongoing success

SFB

Tax SolutionsSFB

AccountantsSFB

Marketing SolutionsSFB

Business GrowthSFB

Needham Insurance SFB

Wealth Management


31

Company directors Mr Mohan Singh and Dr Kuldip Aojula arelooking forward to an exciting future for Foleshill Plating as theirnew products come on stream, but are determined not to losesight of the factors that have contributed to the company’ssuccess, quality products, responsiveness to their customers’needs and competitive prices.

Contact us

Call: 024 7636 1101

Fax: 024 7636 7783

Email: [email protected]

Online: www.foleshillplating.co.uk

Foleshill Plating would like to thank all of our business associates for their continued support, and we would like to wish them all continued success for the future.

Foleshill Plating

Foleshill Plating plating and metal finishing


32

Dero’s fully skilled workforce offer a full range of sheet metaland fabrication work, producing high quality goods in MildSteel, Aluminium, Stainless Steel, Brass and Copper.

The family owned business was established in 1977 being taken over bythe present owner John Taylor in 2001, he has been joined by otherfamily members over the years.

Keeping abreast of the latest technology through substantial investment,their 4kW Amada Laser Cutting Machine, operated by the latest editionof Radan enables them to converse in most popular formats. They canprocess mild steel up to 20mm thick, aluminium up to 10mm thick andStainless Steel up to 12mm thick to customer specifications, all in up to3000 x 1500 sheet sizes.

In their fully equipped workshop they have two ofAmada’s latest folding machines, Power Rolls, fullwelding facilities; MIG, TIG and Spot, CapacitorDischarge Weld Studs (CD Studs,) Polishing Table,Aciding Machines, and numerous polishing and grainingtools for stainless steel.

Dero offer a complete package from conception,design, product development and prototypes, throughto manufacture, and are able to provide any sub-contract services necessary to produce a qualityfinished product.

The company’s skills are so well regarded within theindustry that not only is the vast majority of theirbusiness from word of mouth and recommendation,they also often find themselves in the somewhatunusual position of manufacturing machines for severalcompanies in the same industry.

To see how they can help give them a ring on 01905 455199 or visit their website www.dero.co.uk

for a full list of the services they offer.

Traditional Skills complementedby modern technology

Dero Fabrication Limited A long established company producing high quality sheet metal and fabrications with the aid of the very latest technology.

Unit 67Blackpole Trading Estate WestWorcesterWR3 8TJ

Please contact us on:e [email protected] 01905 455199f 01905 754152

DEROFabrication Ltd.

www.dero.co.uk


Traditional skills, complemented by new technology


33

The Atwell story beganin 1996 when thecompany was foundedin a quiet corner ofWorcestershire. Today,as they prepare to turnthe page to the nextchapter in the firm’shistory, the dedicatedteam can boast a first class reputation for state-of-the-art, in-housedesigned safety products.

It is a standing which has seen multi-national and independentlift manufacturers from all corners of the globe return to knockat Atwell’s door.

It is also a mark of how widely trusted Atwell is in the industrywhen they can boast an order book which includes contractorsand suppliers for Buckingham Palace, Disney, and the stringentsafety requirements of the Ministry of Defence.

Ambitious plans to gain a strong foothold in mainlandEurope, Australia, Asia and North America are set tomake an exciting next 12 months for Atwell International.

As we stand on the verge of 2015, the Worcestershire-basedspecialists in lift safety components believe they are well on theroad to establishing their certified VG Safety Products portfolioas a world-leading brand – which goes hand in hand with theirdrive to position themselves as a top tier supplier to the UK andinternational lift industry.

AATWELLINTERNATIONAL

iProviding the ultimate safety products and support to the lift industry.

Industrial Devices (GB) Ltd is an Engineering Company specialising in the application and supply of electrically operated Linear Actuators and Actuator Systems to worldwide markets.

Find us on... www.industrialdevices.co.uk

With over 50 years’experience within electro mechanical engineering

Industrial Devices (GB) Ltdare proud to supportAtwell International Ltdwishing them allthe best..

Industrial Devices (GB) Ltdare proud to supportAtwell International Ltdwishing them allthe best..

For more information onIndustrial Devices (GB) Ltd

email [email protected] 01743 248 700fax 01743 241 006

Congratulations to Atwell International Ltdon your relocation and expansion.

High quality onsite mechanical repairs, removal and renewal.

01376 560549

www.roycemechanical.wix.com/royce-mechanical

[email protected]

Royce Mechanical Services ltd

a: Unit 1. Lower Road Trading Estate. Ledbury. HR8 2DJt: 01531632547 e: [email protected]

Sub-Contract Machinists and Fabricators

Congratulations to Atwell on all their sucess.Over 40 Yea�

Service Engineering

LIGHT ASSY CO

33088 3pg 3_HorseWorld 20/01/2015 11:43 Page 1

34

ManagingdirectorRussellWalker, whohas overseenthe firm’sgrowth, joinedAtwell ascommercialmanager in1998 andworked his way throughthe ranks, becomingmanaging director in 2010.

Tellingly, the impressive development ofAtwell’s VG component brand, can belargely attributed to Russell who led mostaspects of design, testing and productionof the range which includes safety gears,rope brakes and overspeed governors.

He talks passionately about Atwell’sglobal expansion blueprint, the role of VGin that growth plan and why under hisleadership, Atwell’s research anddevelopment will always be placed at thecentre of everything they do.

He said: “We’ve become known for ourexpertise in researching and designingsafety products which suit a wide variety ofapplications that work first time, every time.

“I believe that what we’re showing ourclients all over the world the true meaningof British engineering and quality.Whether they are multinational companiesor smaller independent firms, they all relyon us for our quality and integrity. Theylove that we are obsessed with helpingour customers.

“I also think that like all ambitiousbusinesses, we’re reacting to the pace ofchange, what customers are demandingin various markets and listening to theirfeedback. But it’s also about respondingto their needs and taking action. That’swhy I’m excited to announce that we’repreparing some major new products tobe launched in 2015.”

Russell is quick to recognise the roleAtwell’s VG brand has played in its successstory – but he alsovalues the othersuccessful lines suppliedby Atwell. They includeguide shoes (roller andsliding), drive gears(Geared and Gearless),motors, bedplates,tension weights,overspeed governorsand guide rails – lineswhich offer a one-stopshop for customerswho also benefit from


35

the knowledge of Atwell’s technicians. To add to this impressivelist Atwell International can now also provide complete liftpackages backed by one of the leading independent brands inEurope, Raloe.

“In the UK we see ourselves as one of the market leaders interms of innovation and safety. But we want to develop thatmarket overseas through each and every one of our products,especially the VG brand which has helped to propel usforward”, said Russell.

“It’s true to say that like others we’ve been cautious for thepast few years while the economy led many businesses to holdoff on major investments.

“But as we look towards 2015 our confidence is sky high andlike never before, we’re backing ourselves to win.”

Atwell International Ltd

13 Ball Mill Top Business Park, Worcester WR2 6PD

Call: 01905 641881

Fax: 01905 641298

Email: [email protected]

www.atwellinternational.com

Find us on...

Have a question? Call us now

01905 641881www.atwellinternational.com

Email: [email protected] Mill Top Business Park . Hallow . Worcester . WR2 6PD

Specialists in moving and stopping people

Atwell International Ltd would like to thank all of our business associates for their continued support.


i

Tel: 0121 520 2444 Fax: 0121 520 [email protected] www.accurate-laser.co.uk

HIGH QUALITYLASER CUT &

PRECISION FOLDED COMPONENTS

DELIVERED TO YOUON TIME EVERY TIME

Arrivista ltd is an award-winning, internationally recognised business coaching & training company based in Worcestershire, who is proud to have worked with over 600 businesses in the last 7 years.

Simon Williams, owner of Arrivista commented “It is a privilege to have been working with Atwell International for the last 4 years and we are particularly proud to have seen the way in which Russ and the team have brought a sense of excellence to all key business areas”. www.arrivista.co.uk 01905 621566 [email protected]

are proud to support Atwell International LtdComplete manufacture of CG safety gear range, from manufacture, assembly to dispatch for the lift industry, solution orientated or design to specification. S G Turret is a family run established precision engineering company formed in 1973. Over the years we have developed and manufactured numerous devices for the lift industry. If you are experiencing sourcing challenges due to obsolete material, we can source equivalent materials as well as design and manufacture equivalent parts without the need for expensive tooling.

96 Town Lane, Denton, Manchester M34 2DDT: 0161 3205477 F: 0161 3359109

[email protected]

We pride ourselves on customer satisfaction.

TurretS G L t d

TurretS G L t d

www.sls-ltd.co.uk | [email protected] | 01376 550666

Atwell International has been an associate ofSassi Lift Systems from the outset

Congratulations to the Atwell teamon their recent expansion


i33088 3pg 3_HorseWorld 20/01/2015 11:43 Page 3

36

The opening of the state-of-the-art EngineManufacturing Centre is a seminal momentfor Jaguar Land Rover as it embarks onmanufacturing engines in-house for the firsttime in a generation, confirming its positionas the UK’s most significant automotiveinvestor.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre will behome to the ‘Ingenium’ engine family, whichwill power a new generation of Jaguar LandRover products designed, engineered andmanufactured in the UK. This starts with the2.0-litre diesel engine in the Jaguar XE.Jaguar Land Rover is transforming itsbusiness and brands through a programmeof sustainable, strategic investments.

This £500 million facility is the latestdemonstration of the company’scommitment to supporting the UK’sburgeoning manufacturing industry. Whenoperating at full capacity, the EngineManufacturing Centre will employ 1,400people with a further 5,500 jobs created inthe supply chain, where production of theseengines will help provide a critical mass forinward investment.

At the heart of the Engine ManufacturingCentre is a team of people committed tosetting a new global benchmark in the wayengines are manufactured. Through anunrelenting commitment to training, JaguarLand Rover is developing the skills requiredto future-proof its engineering capability andprovide a sustainable foundation forcontinued business growth.

These engines will be Jaguar Land Rover’smost advanced ever. This new family ofpremium, lightweight, four-cylinder units willutilise the most flexible engine architectureever produced by Jaguar Land Rover,making them efficient, powerful and capableof producing up to 300Nm of torque whileemitting as little as 99g/km of CO2.

The core of Ingenium is comprised ofextremely strong and compact aluminiumblocks, which will allow a range of engines tobe developed, both quickly and efficiently, tomeet the rigorous regulatory and competitiverequirements of the future.

All variants will be equipped with high-techturbochargers that improve performance, andhelp reduce CO2 emissions. Their modulardesign enables petrol and diesel engines toshare many common internal components.

This reduces complexity, raises quality andsimplifies manufacturing. Despite addingfeatures and increasing power output,Ingenium engines weigh as much as 80kgless than equivalent engines of today. TheEngine Manufacturing Centre will allowIngenium engines to deliver outstanding low-end torque, effortless acceleration and class-leading emissions performance with lowconsumption.

Before the first Ingenium engine leaves thefactory, it will have already undergone theequivalent of more than eight years of thetoughest, most punishing testing that JaguarLand Rover engineers could devise. Theseinclude more than 72,000 hours of dynotesting and 2 million miles of real-worldtesting.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre family willshowcase world-class skills and expertise inthe UK’s automotive heartland, creating alegacy for generations to come. To deliverthis, a bespoke two-week trainingprogramme called ‘The Powertrain Way’ wasdeveloped to teach all employees, from HRconsultants to machine operators, the leanengineering principles at the heart of theengine manufacturing operation.

The Engine Manufacturing Centre has beendesigned with sustainability embeddedthroughout and has recently been awarded arating of ‘excellent’ by BREEAM, forsustainable buildings.

The centre has the largest rooftop solarpanel installation in the UK, comprising nofewer than 21,000 individual panels. It isestimated that these panels will generatemore than 30 per cent of the site’s energy,reducing its CO2 footprint by more than2,400 tonnes per year.

Debris from the manufacturing process isfiltered away and prepared for transport off-site. This is an environmentally friendlyprocess, and the recycled aluminiumbriquettes created from it bolster the facilitywith additional revenue.

The production halls are ‘clean room’environments, ventilated by a positive airsystem. Energy monitoring facilities in theplant continually analyse the amount ofenergy being used and identify opportunitiesto reduce electricity and gas consumption.

Top 10 details about the EngineManufacturing Centre

• £500 million investment

• 100,000m2 in size – the equivalent of 14 football pitches

• 6,500m3 of topsoil excavated from the site

• 4,400 tonnes of hot-rolled steel used inthe construction

• 32.1 miles of trenching for ducts anddrainage

• 21,000 photovoltaic panels on the roof,providing the same amount of energyrequired to power 1,600 homes

• £650,000 – the average cost of one of thehigh-tech machines in the Machining Hall

• 0.003 millimetres – the detailing on acrankshaft is polished to be less than thewidth of a strand of human hair

• 245 – approximate number of parts ineach engine derivative

• 90 seconds – time taken to perform acold test on a single engine

Welcome to the future of enginemanufacturing in Britain.

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Voith Industrial Services has announced the furtherexpansion of its already well established relationship withJaguar Land Rover.

In exciting news the company, a leading service provider to theUK automotive industry, has won a major facilities managementcontract for Jaguar Land Rover’s new Engine ManufacturingCentre at Wolverhampton.

The contract was won in a competitive tender. The work, which willinvolve about 50 jobs, comprises a detailed specification for cleaning,waste, grounds maintenance, landscaping, and winter services.

It also includes themaintenance of all facilityequipment such as boilers,heating and ventilationsystems, and watertreatment, as well as thedisposal of items such asmetal scrap and swarf tothe factory gate.

Voith Industrial Services’ Sales and Business Developmentdirector, Phil Spencer, said: “We are proud to be Jaguar LandRover’s facilities management partner in this fantasticinvestment in their new Engine Manufacturing Centre.

“This new contract with Jaguar Land Rover underlines Voith’scredentials in the UK automotive sector where recent contractshave been announced at Vauxhall Motors in Luton, andPeugeot Citroën Automobiles Ltd. in Coventry.”

On the 8 December Voith Industrial Services announced anothermajor facilities management contract for Jaguar Land Rover,involving managing a range of services at the company’s UKmanufacturing plants at Solihull, Castle Bromwich, and Halewood.

The contract, an extension of existing Voith Industrial Services’business with Jaguar Land Rover, involves 700 employees.

Voith Industrial Services, the world’s leading provider oftechnical cleaning services in paint shops in 80 car plantsworldwide, will provide the same services at Jaguar LandRover’s three UK plants.

Voith will be responsible for other technical services includingelectrical, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning maintenance.Facility management services will also include janitorialcleaning, office cleaning, waste management and buildings.

“We have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with JaguarLand Rover and are obviously delighted that it will continue inthe future,” said Phil Spencer.

“The recent expansion of Jaguar Land Rover into new markets,and their introduction of new models, makes Jaguar LandRover a strategically important customer, and we hope we canbuild on this success over the coming years.”

He added that the latest contract was further evidence of thegrowing range of specialist technical services Voith can offer tothe UK automotive industry. “At Vauxhall we started with abasic cleaning contract over a decade ago. Whereas our latestwork with Vauxhall uses our specialist expertise in moreadvanced technical areas. For example, we helped design anddevelop part of the engine assembly line for the new Vivaro vanand operate it on behalf of Vauxhall.”

In the UK VoithIndustrial Servicesemploys 2,400people – mainly atcustomer sitesacross the country.The company hasan increasing salesturnover andprovides services infour main areas –

facility management, technical cleaning, wheel and tyreassembly, and managed processes.

For more information please visit the website,www.uk.voithindustrialservices.comor telephone +44 (0) 1926 623550.

Excellence andadded valueThat’s our way

www.uk.voithindustrialservices.com

The Automotive industry thrives on thesupply of first-rate products and services.We partner both manufacturers andsuppliers with Facility Management andtechnical services such as Paint ShopCleaning, Surface Treatment andComponent Assembly. Our objective is toraise the standard of outsourced servicedelivery by providing reliable andsustainable services to the right qualityand cost. So, how can we help you?


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In fact a complete package to keep your cars in showroomcondition and running smoothly. Lanes are true Jaguar specialistand always have a good range of used Jaguars to choose fromshould you decide to part with your existing vehicle and move on.

You would expect this level of service and expertise to come at ahigh price, but Lanes are proud to be competitive and to runspecial offers and discounts throughout the year.

There is a vast range of models and derivatives but the team atLanes have the expertise to work on them all. Before you visit youcan call 01922 749240 and discuss which model you are drivingand what is needed for an individual price for your vehicle.

Lanes are true Jaguar specialists and always have a good range offabulous used and restored Jaguar E-Types to choose from shouldyou decide to part with your existing vehicle and move on.

When it is time for your prestige vehicle to be serviced orrepaired you need to be sure that the workshop you choosehas the skills and experience to look after your vehicle withthe same care and precision as its manufacturer, that theywill only use genuine manufacturer’s parts and will keepyou informed throughout.

Run by Martin Lane, who has always had an interest in BritishSports cars of the 50’s and 60’s, especially Jaguars, and whohas a lifetime passion for the marque; Lanes are JaguarIndependent Specialists serving Sutton Coldfield, Erdington,Lichfield and Walsall.

Their fully qualified technicians are able to carry out servicesranging from your first service onwards on all Jaguar models.Their work complies with Jaguar service schedules, onlygenuine manufacturers parts are used, and it will not invalidateyour manufacturer’s warranty if you choose them to service andmaintain your vehicle.

Lanes don’t just service your vehicle, their longstanding and loyalcustomer base come back to Lanes time and again for anythingthat needs attention, from a new tyre or a replacement wing mirror,to a major gearbox repair.

Indeed they offer an extensive range of works for your vehicle, all ofwhich comply with the manufacturer’s warranties, including, airconditioning, brakes, exhausts, catalytic converters, clutches,gearbox overhaul and repair, suspension, tyres, wheel alignmentand tracking paintwork, security, audio and satnav systems.

JAGUAR TRIMRED LEATHER / WHITE PIPING

CALL 01902 710805WITH YOUR REQUIREMENTSCastle House, Drayton Street, Wolverhampton, WV2 4EF.Fax: 01902 427474 Web: www.aldridge.co.ukEmail: [email protected]

BMW, JAGUAR AND MERCEDES-BENZ INDEPENDENT SPECIALISTS

SERVICE CENTRELANES CARS

Call 01922 749240www.lanescarsservicecentre.co.uk

Some of the key points of reassurance when youbring your Jaguar to Lanes are:

Genuine Parts at Competitive Prices

• Only genuine manufacturers parts are used in allservices

• Significantly lower service costs compared toMain Agents

• Technicians available at all times to discuss yourservice requirements in person

• Full service breakdown reports given with allservices

• Shuttle Service available.

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Treat yourself to an unforgettable day out, a wedding car with adifference, or a short break in one of the most beautiful parts ofthe country: the beautiful Heart of Shakespeare Country, drivingaround Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire and The Cotswolds.

For true classic “petrol heads” their Warwick base is only about10 miles away from the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon andonly 15 miles from the Coventry Transport Museum.

The Open Road provides personalised classic car hire giftvouchers valid from 12 months from purchase, as well as anumber of gifts or books to accompany the vouchers, whetheryou want a 'Classic Jaguar Weekend', 'Classic Car TouringHoliday', or just to say 'Happy Birthday Dad'.

For more information please visit the websitewww.TheOpenRoad.co.uk

or give them a call on 0845 070 5142Fax: 0845 408 5961 Mob: 07802 455 217

[email protected]

What better way toexperience the joys ofthe open road and toexplore the beautifulHeart of Englandcountryside, than at thewheel of a classic car?Especially for those of uswho could be called“classics” ourselves.

When Tony Merrygoldfounded The Open Road inWarwickshire in 1997,becoming one of the

country’s longest established classic car hire firms, the plan wasto just offer classic British cars, but the philosophy has changeddue to customer demand.

Thus beside the Jaguars, Austin Healeys, Triumphs, and MGsdating from the 60s and 70s and the more modern CaterhamSuper 7, you will find Classic American Mustangs.

33173 HPD 2_HorseWorld 21/01/2015 13:45 Page 1

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• First Transporter launched at the Earls

Court Commercial Motor Show in 1954

• Over 11.5 million Transporters built to

date

• From 786 UK sales in 1954 to 18,350 in

2013 – enduringly popular with British

business

• The van which helped build Britain and

launched a million road trips

This year marks a significant milestone in

the history of Volkswagen Commercial

Vehicles: sixty years ago, the first ever right-

hand drive Transporter arrived in the UK.

Simple, cleverly engineered and more

practical than anything else on the road at

the time, the T1 marked the start of a

revolution in the commercial vehicle

industry. Today, celebrating its diamond

anniversary, the jewel in the commercial

vehicles’ crown is one of the world’s

biggest-selling light commercial vehicles,

with variants such as the camper enjoying

cult status across generations of owners.

The Transporter’s appeal remains unique.

Over the years, the Transporter has helped

millions of owners build businesses and fulfil

dreams. From globetrotters to gardeners,

beatniks to builders, the Transporter has

become the default choice for many

generations. And while the Transporter has

evolved dramatically during that time –

through five generations – the philosophy

and vision that created the original still

holds true.

In addition to mobilising a nation, the

Transporter has also been the backbone of

Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle business for

the past six decades. From humble

beginnings – just 786 were sold in its first year

in the UK – the Transporter has been a driving

force for Volkswagen. In 2013, UK sales of the

Transporter reached 18,350 – a record figure

that demonstrates the vehicle’s appeal is

continuing to grow. Globally, total Transporter

production stands at 11.5 million units.

The British connection

Long before the Transporter made its first

appearance on UK soil, the idea for a load-

carrying vehicle based on a Beetle platform

came from Major Ivan Hirst – a senior British

army officer placed in charge of re-

commissioning the post-war Volkswagen

factory. He ordered the creation of a flat-bed

truck – dubbed the Plattenwagen – to move

parts around the factory. The innovative truck

soon caught the eye of visiting Dutch importer

Ben Pon in the mid-1940s, who proposed the

idea of a more developed panel van version.

From factory mule to global icon

While the idea of a Beetle-based commercial

vehicle was enthusiastically welcomed by

Volkswagen, it wasn’t until the late 1940s that

the factory had the resources to put in into

production. In a timeframe that would be

unthinkable today, the T1 went from drawing

board to production line in just 13 months. In

1954, having tested the water in Volkswagen’s

home market, the Transporter T1 made its

public debut at the Earls Court Commercial

Motor Show.

Having quickly established its superiority over

its rivals, the T1 became the template for

light commercial panel vans, pick-ups and

microbuses – selling strongly for 17 years.

Such was the brilliance of the original that

the T2 that replaced it in 1967 retained much

of its underpinnings. Even the boxy third-

generation T3 that appeared in 1979

employed the neatly balanced, load-friendly

rear engine layout of the original.

Indeed, it wasn’t until the fourth-generation

T4 arrived in 1990 that Volkswagen switched

to the now familiar front-engine, front-wheel

drive layout. And just as the original had

done in 1954, the T4 set new standards for

refinement, quality and flexibility.

The fifth-generation Transporter (T5)

appeared in 2003 and raised the bar even

higher with an even bigger load area,

broader range and a host of advanced new

technologies.

Getting the job done efficiently and reliably

has been at Volkswagen’s heart for the past

60 years. It’s a reputation for rugged reliability

that has endured over the decades to make

the Volkswagen Transporter one of the

world’s biggest selling light commercial

vehicles.

For the latest updates, follow

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles on

Twitter: @Volkswagen_CV or Facebook:

www.facebook.com/volkswagencomme

rcialvehicles.

Volkswagen Transporter CelebratesSix Decades Of UK Success

60 Yearsat the top


41

Colourtone Ltd carry an extensive range of Car Paint, Industrial Paints and related products to service the industry and the UK automotive

For more information on Colourtoneplease call 0161 477 6970 fax 0161 476 3123or email [email protected]

www.colourtone.com

We are proudto supportMidland Paintwerks

Visit ouronline shopprovides a service to the whole of the UKgo online

Drew has been known to take as long as three days to achievea perfect colour match, and while he is happy to help anyone,Stuart acknowledged that it can be galling when the person hehas helped passes the results off as their own and claims thecredit for themselves.

The company’s famehas spread over theyears, so much sothat much of theirbusiness comes fromEurope, andsometimes evenfurther afield, they dohave a number ofworldwide clients.

Fashion comes in waves and Stuart talked to us about thecurrent craze for Retro styling which has seen the iconic VWBeetles and Campers become collectable classics, with thoseexamples of the Marque that have been restored to a highstandard becoming very sought after and commanding highprices. Please visit the web site www.midlandpaintwerks.co.ukand Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Midlandpaintwerks/144882895669437 for examples of VW restoration projects among others.

Thirty years of working on all makes of cars, from Fiats toFerraris, means that you can bring your treasured classic orjunk yard find to them with complete confidence.

Telephone 01785 818478, or call in to the workshops

at Unit 35c Whitebridge Estate,Whitebridge Lane, Stone ST15 8LQ

In Early 2010 Drew Gillies decided to start his ownspecialist business restoring classic and prestigevehicles, including VWs.

Drew is a perfectionist and from the time he started his trainingat Bodyshop UK working on such top marques as Ferrari,Aston Martin and Porsche to name a few, gaining NVQ Level 3with Distinctions in “Body and Paint”, he has never beensatisfied with anything less than a perfect finish.

In fact, as his father Stuart, who joined the company soon afteropening, said, “We only do one standard, show standard!”

The company regularly wins“Best Paint in Show”, andholds many trophies andawards for the quality oftheir work, even featuringon the front cover of manyVW magazines.

Whether a minor repair to or a major restoration to transform arusting wreck into the gleaming vehicle of your dreams, theyhave the experience and expertise to achieve a perfect result.They specialise in all types of restoration for your classic vehicleincluding, bodywork repairs, welding, repaints, bare metalrepaints, scuffs and scratches, Paint Detailing.

They stick to what they do best, but are able to recommendsome of their regular trusted contacts for upholstery and anymechanical work outside their usual range.

Alongside the essential ingredients of time and patience, theyalways use the best products for the job. Stuart says of Drewthat he has such a thirst for knowledge that he is like achemist, always reading all the technical details of any paint heis interested in, and not taking anybody’s word for anything,testing everything out for himself. His technical knowledge ofpaints is so great, that the paint reps often don’t have sufficientknowledge to answer his questions!

Driven purely by pride


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Welcome to Kingfisher Kustoms. Midlands based Classic VWsuppliers and the number one place on the web to get your aircooled performance and standard parts, both new and used.

Established in 1980 and still anindependent company, we atKingfisher have dealt in air-cooledVW parts for 35 years so our levelof product knowledge is self-explanatory.

Dave Fisher has been at the helmfrom the start, and with his longserving staff will assist and adviseyou in all VW air-cooled matters.

Over the years wehave worked onprojects andsupplied vehiclesto such big namesas the Ministry ofDefence, CocaCola, Liptons IcedTea, WheelerDealer, NorwichUnion, Help forHero’s, OceanColour Scene, andTop Gear. We are

currently working on an exciting new venture, in partnership with P3 thesocial inclusion charity, to develop a mobile resource that will ensurethat they continue to work with people who are facing social exclusion.

Kingfisher can source you a split screen, a bay window, a later Type 25or a T4 from countries where corrosion is less of a problem due to drierclimates. They can come to you as you require, in road worthy

condition, as a restoration project or a blank canvas tostamp your own take on this design icon. VW vansappear in more TV adverts, videos, pop and rockpromos etc. than any other vehicle. Why not promoteyour business/charity with the coolest bus on the streetand a lifestyle image to match.

Kingfisher has alwayshad a large workshop,and we have beenfitting the parts we sellfor many years, givingus a great idea of whatfits, how easy it is tofit, product quality, etc.We have built many

show cars, buggies, kits, cal lookers, vans and stockersover the past 35 years, so we are in an ideal situationto guide you on your project or advise on generalrepairs, accident repairs and restorations, we will takeon any work you can't or don't want to carry out.

Remember, before you take on a job, that we haveprobably done the same job several times so pleaseask for our advice if you aren’t sure before you make amistake, we will always help where we can.

The air-cooled scene has witnessed many changessince Kingfisher started with the demise of all the majorair-cooled suppliers. The fact that we are the onlysurvivor speaks volumes for our loyal customers andknowledgeable staff.

We import products from USA, Germany, Belgium,Holland, and more.

Time for a chat?Call us on: 0121 558 9135or email us on: [email protected]

Want to visit us?Unit 5, Oldbury RoadSmethwickWest Midlands,B66 1NU

The Aircooled Volkswagen Specialist


43

Keeping it simple, keeping it beautiful Buy WindowsOnline have been manufacturing, supplying andinstalling PVCu, Aluminium and Timber products tocustomers throughout the UK, for over 30 years.

Quality is the key, their factory manufactures hundreds ofbeautiful, stylish windows, doors and conservatories eachweek, many in styles not available elsewhere, all guaranteedand built to British Standards. Whether as a private individualfor your own home, or as a developer, for all types of buildings,static caravans, holiday homes, narrow boats, cabins bespokevehicles or modular buildings Windows Online will haveproducts to suit.

Their residential productscome with CE qualitymarkings, conform tobuilding regulations andachieve Energy EfficiencyRatings of C / A dependenton your requirements.Installations are guaranteed

and come with a FENSA certificate as standard.

The company have simplified the buying process through thedevelopment of a great new web site to offer an improvedonline quoting and ordering service to facilitate their customers’buying experience.

Selecta Systemsare proud to support Buy Windows Online

One of the UK's leading extruders of PVC-U window and door systems, building plastics, and ancillaries, engineered to give better performance.

Still independent and privately owned a�er 30 years. Selecta Systems is the first choice for homeowners, private and public sector specifiers, installers, and over 450 fabricators across the UK...

0121 325 2100 [email protected] www.selectasystems.com

Simon Millard from thecompany is very enthusiasticabout their products, and the process, saying“With Buy Windows Online, no corners are cut, ourinternally glazed windows along with police approved hardwareand multi-point locking systems as standard, bring to you thesafest UPVc products on the market, with options of differenthinges from easy clean to fire escape and a variety of colours.”

To see for yourself what they can offer, please visitthe website www.buywindowsonline.co.uk

New Erdington Showroom Now Open!

buywindowsonlineSpecialist UPVC residential and caravan windows nationwide

The balloons are up at Homecraft Developments Ltd asthey celebrate the award of Regional Winner in the BestNew Home Category 2015 in the annual FMB awards.

They will join the other regional winners at a Gala dinner in2015 when the national winners will be announced.

They are no strangers to success having won two other qualityawards in 2010, one from LABC (Building Excellence) and onefrom the FMB, when they were Highly Commended in theBuilder of the Year category.

Homecraft has been around since the early 70s when theywere known for building extensions and general homeimprovements. They began house building in the early 90s andbecame a limited company in 2002.

The business grew well until the recession hit in 2008, but theycarried on, and as they say, are still here to tell the tale.

Today the business is doing well, and constructs new buildhouses, home extensions, and barn conversions, either self-build for clients, or on land they purchase as a company forbuilding.

M.D. Mr Anthony Zazulak (Tony), took the opportunity toexpress his gratitude, saying, “Our thanks go out to our clients,past and present for their business and also, to ‘TeamHomecraft’ which includes our time served sub-contractors.”

We design & make timber staircases for both the public & commercial environments. We also supply a wide range of Glass, Metal and Wood Balustrades.

We are proud to support Homecraft Development and wish them all the best for the future.

We are a bespoke Staircase Manufacturer based in the Midlands area.

TOPFLITESTAIRS

LTD

01543 [email protected]

T:E:

W:

Their future plans are to carry on making further acquisitions ofland for development, while building the private homes alreadyon their books for individual clients in 2015. They will also belaunching their website in 2015.

Phone number 07889 43466001889 577199 (evenings)

E-mail [email protected]

Visit usStonehouse Barn, Penkridge Bank Road

Slitting Mill, RUGELEYStaffs WS15 2UE

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Competition is fierce in the building industry as customers arebecoming ever more discerning. Gone are the days ofcustomers saying ‘yes’ to the first builder who provides themwith a quote. People no longer assume the builder will do agood job just because they are the next door neighbour’s friendor second cousin.

The 2015 FMB Master Builderof the Year Awards gives theindustry the opportunity tocelebrate exceptional buildersand their projects. It also givesclients the chance to nominateFMB members and applaudtheir efforts. This year, at agala celebration in Londonhosted by TV presenter andarchitectural enthusiast CharlieLuxton, several Midlandsbased building firms will go upagainst some of the best firmsin the UK to see who will benamed Master Builder of theYear 2015.

Regional winners from the Midlands preparing for the nationalawards are Doozer Construction Limited for Bathroom of theYear; Turner Construction for Kitchen of the Year; RockinghamConstruction Limited for Energy Efficiency Project of the Year;Homecraft Developments for New Home of the Year; TobandyLtd for Small Renovation Project of the Year; and Spectus

Construction for both the Commercial Project and LargeRenovation awards.

The overall winner will drive off in a brand new light commercialvehicle with their client receiving a cheque for £3000. Winners ofthe eight individual national categories and their clients willreceive £250 with the Apprentice of the Year taking home £1000.

If, like former clients of FMB members, you are interested inhaving your project built by the best in the business, there is aneffective way to find a FMB member close to you:

• The FMB’s ‘Find a Builder’ matching service is free to use viathe FMB website at www.fmb.org.uk/fab/

• Provide the FMB with some basic information about yourproject and they will match it to local member firms.

• Up to five FMB members who are interested in quoting foryour job will be able to contact you using the details youprovide, and you will be given their contact details.

• Select an FMB member for your project.

• The FMB will only use your contact details for the purpose ofputting you in touch with its members.

If you need to check that a builder is indeed amember of the FMB the ‘Check a Member’ section

on the website can be used to confirm this.

www.fmb.org.uk/check-a-member

Federation of Master BuildersThe Federation of Master Builders (FMB), founded in 1941, is thelargest trade association representing small to medium-sized(SME) builders in the UK. More than 70 years later it is still doingjust that with a renewed focus on helping members grow theirbusiness. The FMB’s main focus is on professionalism and highstandards. To become a member, firms need to be vetted andpass an independent inspection therefore not every building firmin the country can become a member - only those deemed goodenough. By being a member and displaying the badge, buildingfirms convey credibility and professionalism which helps setthem apart from their competitors.

The 2015 Awards will be presentedby Channel 4's Charlie Luxton


45

Andrew Griffiths, Managing Director, confirmed the company’scare and attention to detail, saying, “We carry out a variety ofprojects across all sectors of the industry, and whether this isthe sensitive refurbishment of a listed building, the constructionof an industrial building, or the extension to a school orhospital, we apply the same principles of care and diligence toensure the highest standards are achieved.”

As a highly respectedcompany within thesector Spectus hasestablished a longterm relationship withWorcestershireCounty Council, WestMercia PoliceAuthority, and theWorcestershire NHSTrust plus numerousarchitects, surveyorsand clients.

Spectus is retained upon NHS approved contractor list and isregistered with Construction Line the Governments UK pre-qualification service.

“Our repeat business is testament to our methods and pride inour work”.

For more information please visit the web sitewww.spectusconstruction.co.uk

or telephone 01905 840110

25 New Road, Pershore, Worcestershire WR10 1BY

Spectus construction are hitting the headlines again, thismulti award winning contractor just can’t seem to put afoot wrong.

Already holders of a hardhatful of accolades fromprevious years, they havebeen nominated for notone, but two prestigiousawards from the Federationof Master Builders.

The firm have been namedRegional Winners in thecategories of Commercial

Project and Large Renovation Project of the year, justillustrating the breadth of the firm’s capabilities.

The regional winners willbe attending the 12thMaster Builder of theYear Awards hosted byTV presenter andarchitect Charlie Luxtonat a high profileceremony at the ParkPlaza WestminsterBridge Hotel in London

on 18th February 2015. Nick Boles MP, Minister of State forSkills, will give the main address and will also present the'Apprentice of the Year' award.

Brian Berry, ChiefExecutive of the FMB,said: "The Master Builderof the Year Awards giveclients the opportunity tocelebrate a job well doneand to say thank you totheir builder. For theconstruction industry, itis an opportunity to

celebrate all that is good about SME builders and theirimportance to the recovering UK economy. Time and time againwe have been impressed with just how far these builders will goto ensure their client is happy. It is this dedication that we wantto celebrate. Our finalists should feel justly proud of theirachievement in winning their regional award and we wish themevery success in the national competition."

Worcestershire based Spectus Construction is a CharteredBuilding Company that has built a well established a reputationfor quality and reliability throughout their 14 year history, acrossthe region.

The firm brings the same attention to detail to every project, beit a small extension, fit out, or a major commercial project up to3m in value.

We are proud to supportSpectus Construction

The future of waterproofingE [email protected] T 01604 494312

www.iceroofing.co.uk

RO

OFI

NG

LIM

ITE

D

INDUSTRIAL | COMMERCIAL | ENVIRONMENTAL

Ledbury Welding & EngineeringLeading Manufacturers of

High Quality above ground bunded fuel storage, for Diesel, Petrol, Oil

and other hazardous products.

01531 632222www.lweltd.co.uk

[email protected] OF STORAGE TANKS AND VESSELS

We are proud to support Spectus Constructionwishing them all the best for the future

SpectusConstruction Limited


46


47

Ensuring your health and safety and employment law policiesare legally compliant and fit for purpose can be a timeconsuming and demanding task. Assisting you in this processTHSP Risk Management Services offer comprehensivesolutions designed around your business needs, that not onlyensure you are meeting your legal requirements, but whichalso assist in continuously improving your business practices.

Their team of dedicated account managers and specialist consultantsare on hand to provide practical and accurate advice when you need it,allowing you to focus on managing your business. Ideal for SME’s,THSP offer yearly contracts which enable companies to receivemaximum support for minimal commitment.

Additional services include ISO accreditation support services andenvironmental consultancy, plus a range of industry accredited healthand safety training courses from asbestos awareness and fire safetythrough to ConstructionSkills SMSTS and SSSTS.

For more information on how THSP can helpstrengthen your organisation visit www.thsp.co.uk, call 08456 122144, or tweet @thspriskmgmt Founded in 1992, THSP is an Employment Law and Healthand Safety Consultancy. THSP uses ordinary language to giveclients sensible advice and practical answers to all health andsafety and employment law issues. As an overall riskmanagement consultancy, THSP also offers a comprehensivearray of accredited safety courses and ISO complianceservices. For more information visit www.thsp.co.uk or email [email protected]

Solutions for managing your business risk

Health and Safety ConsultancyEmployment Law ConsultancyEnvironmental ComplianceISO Consultancy

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Risk Management Specialists


48

DPES Limited specialises in electricalinstallations for retail, leisure andcommercial projects and are firmlyestablished as a leading provider of fullturnkey electrical solutions to a host ofdiverse clients within the retail industry.Our experienced design team understandthe importance of developing the electricalinstallation from conception to completion.

Over the years, we have completed countlesscontracts throughout the UK, ranging from smallerworks through to large scale developments up to£1million and consequently we have built a solidreputation for consistently delivering projects onbrief, on schedule and on budget.

We are passionate about providing aprofessional, effective and efficient service andboast a wealth of experience gained fromworking alongside clients on challenging andprestigious retail, leisure and commercialprojects, on behalf of exacting and demandingorganisations including Urban Outfitters, PizzaExpress, Jamie’s Italian, Anthropologie and EccoShoes to name but a few.

Our highly experienced management team,boasting over 75 years collective industryexperience, are always available to offer specialisttechnical advice and recommend the mostappropriate, cost-effective solution to fulfil the

particular requirement, whilst our proficient and professional installation teamsare committed to providing our clients with the highest level of service andsupport, ensuring all work undertaken, locally, nationally or worldwide satisfiesthe most stringent criteria.

O&M manuals are produced in-house incorporating the design package, CADdrawings and product specification used during the project build.

In 2012 DPES Limited were pleased to become Bose Pro partners, this meansthat we are a unique contractor who can supply and install all Bose products. Allour engineers are fully Bose Pro trained in design, installation and commissioning.

Our AV in-house design team will happily work with designers/contractors tocreate a sound system to meet their requirements. We can also install otherspeaker manufacturers such as JBL, Martin Audio and Soundtube to namebut a few and we cover all aspects of installations from 1 zone small 2 speakerbasic systems to complex multi zone systems.

We are now expanding our business model further to supply reclaimed featurelighting and have the ability to manufacture bespoke feature lights. Ourreclaimed feature lighting is all reworked and tested to suit the client’s personalrequirements which can range from lamp preference to powder coating aspecific colour or finish.

So if you are looking for a suitably qualified partner to deliver a conception tocompletion, full turnkey solution, put us to the test – we have built our enviablereputation and success on delivering promises not compromises.

For further information on our products and services pleasevisit our website www.dpes.co.uk

or contact our office on 01264 337122

DPES


49

The welcoming sporting experts at the Sir Doug EllisWoodcock Sports Centre may be passionate aboutwhat they do - but they won’t force you into anything.

The emphasis here is on a friendly welcome with the bestprofessional advice on hand if you need it.

Owned by Aston University since the 1980s, the Centre is opento the public and boasts everything one would expect fromsuch a modern 21st century facility.

And a bit of the old too - its 25m historic pool is one of theregion’s oldest and still boasts many of its original features, suchas pool-side changing cubicles and unique archways. Much of itis now Grade II listed and deemed of historic importance.

It’s also the closest pool to Birmingham city centre, just fiveminutes away, as are its myriad range of fitness facilities which,Sport Marketing and Development Officer Ben Lonsdale pointsout, are very different to those offered by similar centres thanksto the university connection.

Its 100+ station facility boasts state of the art Life Fitnessmachines with cardiovascular equipment, fixed weightresistance machines and free weights and also offers women-only training sessions.

“We have a very friendly atmosphere and our staff interact withmembers but we don’t push personal training on people,” Ben says.

“The gym is always fully staffed by qualified instructors who canhelp people if they ask.”

Currently running a “six for six” offer - meaning anyone whotakes out a six-month membership will get an extra six weeksadded on for free, anyone looking to join this high quality centrewill definitely find it fit for purpose.

If you’re lacking in any particular kind of vital kit for your desiredactivity, it’s worth paying a visit to the Centre’s shop where youcan buy swimming gear, including plugs, goggles, hats and armbands, and racquet equipment - balls for squash or table tennisand badminton shuttle cocks.

There’s also a hire facility incorporating badminton, squash andracket ball rackets, table tennis bats and balls for assorted sports.

To find out more visit www.aston.ac.uk/sport

which also has the opening times for both the gym and swimming pool. You can also find out more about

the full range of sporting facilities available from the Sport Aston site.

You can take your pick from a wide range ofleisure activities and services, including:

• sauna and steam rooms

• fitness and yoga classes

• badminton

• squash

• indoor and outdoor football

• netball

• basketball

• handball

• dodgeball

• adult swimming lessons

• personal training.


50

‘Tis the season to be lovely, the season

of eating, drinking and making merry is

behind us and the season of “let’s detox”

is upon us.

While the post Christmas period traditionally

sees a surge in appointments and bookings

for the spa industry, nowadays its impact is

less obvious as stress-relieving and detox

treatments become a part of busy people’s

year-round routines.

Gone are the days when spa treatments and

heath-based hotel stays were seen as an

exclusive treat for, primarily the wealthy.

Today they’re the norm, the regular route to

relaxation and stress-busting.

Wellness is the new consumer priority as we

all set out to manage, reduce and relieve

stress, look good, lose weight and take a

more proactive and holistic approach towards

our lives.

Consequently the spa industry has become

an important contributor to the economy, with

day, residential, leisure club and hotel spas

around the country forming part of a £39bn

global spa industry.

Recent figures from market research expert

Mintel has shown more than 35 million Brits a

year are spending £5.2bn on services and

treatments and there’s been marked growth

in the hotel spa segment.

Combined with the entry of leisure club

operators such as Bannatyne, Virgin Active

and Center Parcs, and the increasing

numbers of men turning from barbers to

‘brotox’, the emerging ‘wellness’ industry is

catering to a much wider audience than it did

just 10 years ago.

As consumers seek better ways to take care

of themselves, the industry has burgeoned.

The new priority is now spilling into the travel

industry with holiday makers taking specific

health related trips or incorporating wellness

activities into any break.

Hotels have certainly responded to the new

demand that as people travel they want to

stay healthy.

And it’s not all about appealing to the adult

visitor either. Health/spa breaks used to be

seen as sanctuaries; places in which adults

could relax and revitalise among soothing,

peaceful surroundings away from the noisy

demands of even the most well behaved

children.

Not anymore. Many families are now seeking

‘spa-cations’ which welcome offspring of all

ages. Spas and hotels are responding by

becoming less associated with exclusive

‘grown-up’ pampering and providing

accessible experiences for the whole group.

Many hotels and resorts are even twisting the

traditional view of spa weekend dining - a

lettuce leaf and your finest water please - on

its head, as the wellness and foodie

enthusiasm combines.

Today, it’s easy to find creative culinary and

spa experiences being offered all in one

hugely enjoyable package; a grand solution

to those seeking romance and healthy,

sensory pleasure.

The growth of health hotels is certainly

bearing out the trends which were predicted

earlier this year by Spafinder Wellness, Inc,

the industry’s largest media, marketing and

gifting company based in London.

Its annual Trend Report is developed by

company research analysts and is based on

ongoing surveys with spa and wellness

businesses and stakeholders around the

globe, thousands of travel agents and

hundreds of thousands of consumers.

The document noted the trend for hotel spas

and gyms to lose their lowly position as mere

amenities and become central to an

establishment’s rebranding.

“Customised food and beverage offerings,

including gluten-free and vegan menus, are

becoming standard fare, and hotels are

jumping into the juice-themed vacation

frenzy,” it reported.

It also picked up on the male consumer

market that’s growing not just in this country

but around the world.

“Men are having more serious ‘work’ done at

medspas and plastic surgery offices,” the

report says, going on to point out: “They

have different needs than women when it

comes to face/body enhancements, desiring

subtle results.

“It's not just more culturally acceptable for

men to spend on looking good, it's becoming

perceived as a necessity.

“So look for far more spas to provide

comprehensive, for-men ‘beauty’ menus –

male waxing and threading services and

man-geared cosmetic procedures.”

For the stay-home health conscious, the UK’s

gym scene remains fit and active. Worth

£3.86 billion, it’s a lifestyle away from the over

chlorinated council swimming pools, bare

essentials gyms and selected exclusive tennis

clubs of just a few decades ago.

Private gyms have exploded into our lives,

bringing with them constantly updated state-

of-the-art equipment, fitness classes, Zumba

classes, Pilates classes and much more.

No longer does exercise mean circuit training.

Private or council-run, gyms are an essential

part of the 21st century wellness culture and

friendly places where we not only tone up but

meet, enjoy and socialise.

Health & Fitness


51

We need to be in balance in ourselves and in ourlives: emotionally, psychologically, biochemically andbiomechanically.

That’s why Core Health and Wellness is dedicated to deliveringthe best possible 21st century holistic healthcare – not justconfined to treating complaints or managing symptoms.

Based at Hatton Technology Park near Warwick, Core Healthand Wellness opened in August, expanding on its first clinicwhich opened in 2009 and, formerly, a second clinic inWimpole Street in London. The clinic offers a private GP serviceand a team of over 20 experts in musculoskeletal health,psychology and hypnotherapy, medical-aesthetics, andperformance coaching.

Amongst the clinical faculty are some of the world’s leadingclinicians and some pretty stellar names, such as Jean-PierreMeersseman, the founder of MilanLab and Medical Director ofAC Milan Football Club; former GB and professional cyclistAlice Monger-Godfrey and Dr. Nick Tait, Worcester Warriors’team doctor.

Proud to treat athletes at the highest level - there are manyfootballers, equestrians, athletes, cyclists and other sportspeople on their 4,000-strong patients list - Core Health andWellness is also committed to making its exceptional integratedcare available to families and businesses in the region.

Areas of expertise include chronic and unresolvedmusculoskeletal problems including back pain; stressmanagement and mental health; weight loss and weightmanagement and chronic condition management.

“We believe our approach is unique because of the degree ofcollaboration between our experts,” says Stefaan Vossen,Clinical Director and joint owner alongside Arabella Arkwright(of the Hatton Estate) and Angela Vossen.

“Often in healthcare, patients are passed along (or have to findtheir own way) to different clinicians and just hope for the best.Our model is passionately integrated, and delivers someexceptional results.”

“After months of hard work and major investment we now havea beautiful, fully functional clinic and a fantastic team in place.Now we are so excited to reach out to sports people, businessand families to let them know about the exceptional facilitiesthat are on their doorstep. We believe we have the best ofsports, executive and general healthcare in a setting which isboth luxurious but also as family-friendly as possible,”

Having launched just two months ago, early signs of successare very promising. A recent media launch event and FamilyHealth Open Day both attracted a great deal of local andnational interest. The clinic is already in discussions with severallocal businesses, organisations and sports teams aboutproviding healthcare services and partnering to their membersor employees.

“We are also delighted to be working with a number ofprospective Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls,” adds Stefaan.

So, some of their patients may be eyeing up sporting gold in Rioin a few years time, but thanks to Core Health and Wellness,you can go for healthcare gold on your doorstep right now.

For further information go to www.corehealthandwellness.ukAlternatively call 01926 801111 or email [email protected]

TRULY TRANSFORMATIONAL HEALTHCARE

There’s more to beinghealthy than staying freeof illness or physical injury.

CORE Launch


52

Prem Ghinde works with the UK’ s biggest brand names toprovide some of the most standout websites on the internet -but he’s never forgotten what it’s like to not be so successfuland sought-after.

That’s why he’s planning to help a group of homeless people,training them for free in a bid to help them secure decent jobs.

For Prem, who founded Coventry’s Nearly Done providingbespoke website design and development services, theinitiative is close to his heart.

“I believe people will work themselves out of certain situations ifgiven a chance,” he explains.

“I've been given many steps up over the years and I'm now in aposition where I can give something back. I can make mostimpact with the knowledge that I have and I'm seeking topartner with a homeless charity so I can deliver this training toabout 10 people.”

He founded Nearly Done, based in Valley Road, in 2006 andwas soon working on some major projects, such asredeveloping the National Lottery, Argos and Thomson (nowTUI) websites.

But it’s not all about the big names, Nearly Done also appliesits extensive experience and high standards of service tosmaller companies.

“We guide clients through the minefield of information that isrequired to produce a high quality website and createsomething that prospective users will want to engage with,ultimately leading to a more loyal customer base,” he says.

“We are almost obsessional about our customers’ websitesachieving maximum performance and take great pride in themeasurable increases we have achieved for them. For oneclient we took the loading of their homepage from 22 secondsdown to 1.6 seconds without upgrading any hardware.”

But Nearly Done has increased itself: earlier this year Prem tookon his first two new members of staff.

“They were completely new to coding websites but within threemonths had their first site go live and one is now helping Bootswith its website,” he says proudly, adding: “Their ability toproduce high quality sites is a testament to their ability - not me.”

Together the team works with only the latest technologies andbest practice techniques to ensure that every customer’sbusiness is ready for the next phase of the internet.

“Your website will not carry any of the excess baggage that hasbeen needed in the past to conform with older browsers,”assures Prem. “That means when your site requires changes,you will be able to react quicker.”

If required, Nearly Done will happily to work as part of a client’sown IT team, integrating seamlessly on site. It has a greatamount of experience in doing just that - which includes

knowing when to flag up any concerns, thus averting any costsfurther down the line.

“We are not a hidden party, we work in full view and with completetransparency with clients so we can allay any worries or questionsabout a product before they become issues,” says Prem.

To find out more about Nearly Done and its full range of services, go towww.nearlydone.co.uk

Alternatively email [email protected] telephone 07866772270

Fighting poverty with code


53

Windmill Village Hotel, Golf Club & Spawww.windmillvillagehotel.co.uk

How about a luxurious weekend getaway or a relaxing spa break, maybea regular round of golf or two, or perhaps even a programme of workoutsessions in a fully equipped gym with friendly experienced staff?

Whatever your New Year resolution the multi award winning BEST WESTERNPLUS Windmill Village Hotel has got it covered. The family run WindmillVillage has been extending a warm welcome to visitors and regulars for over300 years and offers traditional comfort and hospitality alongside all the bestmodern facilities.

Conveniently located between Coventry and Birmingham, in a countrysidelocation with views across open country, lake and golf course, they have over100 newly refurbished and well-appointed rooms, and are recognised as oneof the region’s premier hotels.

The Club’s Manager, Rob Hunter, says, “Regardless of how long you'restaying and which of our facilities you wish to take advantage of, when youchoose The Windmill Village you can guarantee that you will be enjoying aplush comfortable stay”.

The hotel’s impressive leisure club provides a great experience from awonderfully relaxing pampering session in the spa to a work out in the stateof the art “MATRIX” equipped gym. The club also boasts a 20m indoorheated pool, ideal for that pre breakfast or post work out dip and a saunasteam room.

Rob told us, “Our leisure professionals are available to help & guide youthrough the equipment within our gym to help you achieve and reach yourdesired goals. For an extra charge they are able to design a personal exerciseplan tailored to your desired outcome and give you professional advice onhow to boost your energy and health”

If outdoor exercise is more your thing the hotel has an outstanding18 hole,par 70 parkland golf course with some testing holes and sufficient challengesto ensure an interesting and absorbing round. The club professional is alwayson hand to offer tips and advice, or even a course of lessons.

After all that activity you can enjoy the sumptuous cuisine provided by theFairways Restaurant, offering fine dining or their excellent bar and grillselection with a clear conscience.

The hotel’s accommodation and facilities make it a first choice for a weekendbreak, or a day out with just the level of activity that will suit you. So dust offthose resolutions and visit the Windmill Village Hotel, Spa and Golf course tomake them a reality.

Visit the website, www.windmillvillagehotel.co.uk for moredetails of their super range of breaks and special offers, or to

book a table in the Fairways Restaurant, or make a roomreservation, please call 02476 404041.

New Year, new you? Or just resolved to treatyourself a little more this year?

33135 1PG 2_HorseWorld 22/01/2015 10:52 Page 1

54

Business DirectoryWould you like your company listed on this page for just £195 for 11 months?

Automotive

Business Services

Hospitality

Property

Finance

Manufacturing

Tilney Bestinvest03330 145 414 [email protected]

Else Solicitors LLP

0800 999 [email protected]

Air & Ground Aviation Ltd


Zig Zag Advertising & Design Ltd


Lanes Cars


SERVICE CENTRELANES CARS

Kingfisher Kustoms


The Open Road Classic Car Hire


Midland Paintwerks


CWCS Managed Hosting


MANAGED HOSTING

Six Degrees Group


Nearly Done Ltd

[email protected]

Crownsway Insurance Brokers


CROWNSWAYEST 1971

I N S U R A N C E B R O K E R S

THSP Risk Management


Nicklins LLP


Barnett Waddingham

01527 300091autoenrol@barnett-waddingham.co.ukwww.barnett-waddingham.co.uk/ae

Mercer

0800 0232 785contact@electemployeebenefits.co.ukwww.electemployeebenefits.co.uk

MCS Corporate Strategies Limited


Zenith Tax


West Midlands Incubation Programme



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Heron Press UK0121 457 [email protected]

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Hummingbird Marketing

0845 372 0064creations@hummingbirdmarketing.co.ukwww.hummingbirdmarketing.co.uk

Aston Business School0121 204 4822www.sbcgrowthvouchers.co.uk

The University of Birmingham


Charles Stanley Financial Solutions


Finacial Solutions

Quilter Cheviot Investment Management


Lane & Co Solicitors Ltd


Lane & CoSolicitors

ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust)

0121 359 2444www.artbusinessloans.co.uk

BUSINESS LOANS

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The Sir Doug Ellis Woodcock Sports Centre

0121 204 [email protected]/sport

Core Health & Wellness


TRULY TRANSFORMATIONAL HEALTHCARE

Windmill Village Hotel

02476 404040sales@windmillvillagehotel.co.ukwww.windmillvillagehotel.co.uk


iAtwell International Ltd


Foleshill Plating


Dero Fabrication Limited



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Buy Windows Online


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DPES Limited


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0300 123 14 [email protected]

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