KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees3, Apr i l , 2012

INSIDE

● Full story - Page 7

● Full story - Page 8

SARAH GATHERCOLE

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3Gas safety to the fore

Co lumn - Page 4

An EXAMINER publication

Supportfor levyCHANGES to thecharges levied onbuilding firms to payfor constructiontraining have beenwelcomed. MPs havevoted to keep theconstruction levy for afurther three years andalso approved anumber of revisions tothe levy order forCITB-ConstructionSkills to helpcompanies cope in theface of difficulteconomic conditions.

JoiningforcesTHREE Kirklees firmshave joined forces topromote a fundraisingevent for the Forget MeNot Children’s Hospice.Cleckheaton-basedemployment lawspecialist Howarthshas linked up withsolicitors ChadwickLawrence andaccountancy firmSheards, both withoffices in Huddersfield,to promote thecharity’s secondannual charity ball atthe Galpharm Stadiumin June.

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Marsden company shortlisted for top awardA WINNER of the Queen’s Award forEnterprise has been shortlisted foranother top honour.

Marsden-based Andel Ltd is amongthe finalists in the Sustainabilitylive!Innovation Award for EnvironmentalTechnology.

Andel, which employs 35 people, hasbeen recognised for its recently-paten-ted ReBund, which has alreadyachieved orders worth tens of thou-sands of pounds from power giantScottish & Southern Energy to protectthe environment from oil leaks fromtransformers and from MeadowFoods to shield a site of special sci-entific interest from potential milkspills.

Andel group managing director IanPogson said: “We’re delighted the cut-ting-edge design and manufacture of

our heavy-duty recycled plasticReBund has been spotted by the judgesamongst such a high-ranking group ofcompetitors.

“We’re being successfully measuredagainst a standard which confirms thatReBund offers significant environ-mental and social benefits in use, aswell as in its design and manufacture.

“While others may take advance-ment in technology for granted intoday’s modern age, Andel sees jobopportunities and a green future inhigh-tech design and manufacture.”

ReBund reduces carbon footprintby diverting tonnes of plastic wastefrom landfill and replacing traditionalconcrete materials. It cuts taxes fromwaste going to landfill and uses sus-tainable materials – often in aclosed-loop recycling process.

The sectional system can accom-modate changes in level or deal withawkward and confined spaces. There isalso a “No Dig” option, leaving under-

ground pipes and cables undisturbedand reducing on-site costs. In addition,the system requires no costlyearth-bonding.

Andel commercial director MarkHarris said: “Changes in oil storageregulations, landfill taxes and carbonreduction laws have driven develop-ments, for both new-build and retrofitapplications.

“ReBund is in successful operationin the UK and Eire’s largest utilitycompanies and we’re delighted withour client’s high satisfaction level andour ability to meet a wide range ofoften business-critical environmentalneeds.”

The award winners wi l l beannounced in May at the Sustainabil-itylive! dinner at Birmingham’sNational Motorcycle Museum.

Six-figure deal forstorage tank firmA KIRKLEES company makingspecial storage tanks has completeda six-figure contract.

Ravensthorpe-based Chem Res-ist Limited, which manufacturesthermoplastic storage tanks, hascompleted a £250,000 installationfor one of the world’s mostadvanced paper and packaginggroups.

Saica Paper, formed in 1943 inZaragoza, Spain, is a family-ownedcompany with 43 production facil-ities in six countries. It enjoys areputat ion for invest ing instate-of-the-art technology and forits commitment to recycling.

In 2011, Saica invested £290m ina brand new mill in North WestEngland capable of producing400,000 tonnes of recycled paper ayear.

The raw material for this processis – in itself – used paper andpackaging material which involvesa requirement for chemical and dyestorage capacity.

Simon Hewitt, managing dir-ector of Chem Resist, said his com-pany was consulted at an early

stage.He said: “Saica considered both

glass reinforced plastic storagetanks as well as stainless steel – butthe former is non-recyclable andthe latter is expensive to recycle.Neither option could fulfil thecompany’s ethos of sustainability.”

As a European market leader inthe manufacture of thermoplasticstorage systems, Chem Resist wasinvited to take up the challenge ofpresenting a proposal which tickedal l Saica ’s boxes inc ludingcost-effectiveness and recyclability.

Said Mr Hewitt: “Followingdetailed discussions with Saica’ssenior engineering teams, whichcomprise multiple nationalities,they decided our proposal – withthe combined benefits of compre-hensive chemical resistance, struc-tural integrity, minimum design lifeof 20 years and infinite recyclability– was their preferred choice.”

Chem Resist delivered andinstalled nine storage tanks with acombined capacity of 500,000litres. The work was completed overa 16-week period, allowing start up

to commence in early 2012.The new mill can produce in

three-and-a-half hours enoughrecycled paper to cover 196 miles –the distance between the mill’sPartington location and London.

Mr Hewitt said: “The Chem Res-ist order book is currently exceed-ing expectations and we are takinga very positive view of the comingyear.

“We are also particularly proudto be helping Saica with its massivecommitment to the ‘green’ agendaand to be contributing to a signific-ant inward investment to theUK.”

Chem Resist counts major nameslike Kodak, GlaxoSmithKline,Agfa and Corus among its clientsand exports its corrosion-resistantstorage tanks to customers acrossthe UK, the Middle East, Europe,North America and Australia.

Its products range from contain-ers for use as fertiliser mixing tankson farms to acid diluting and cool-ing plants, fume scrubbers andall-plastic heat exchangers.

■ POSITIVE VIEW: Chem Resist managingdirector Simon Hewitt

■ PRIZE GUYS: Andel managingdirector Ian Pogson (left) andcommercial director Mark Harris

Good day at the office?

SHARE PRICES

closed at

Local shares

FTSE

5874.89Up 106.44

closed at

TOURIST RATES

Tourists going abroad can expectthe following rates for sterling:Australia...................... 1.46 dollarsBangladesh................. 123.56 takaBrazil.............................. 2.61 realsCanada....................... 1.52 dollarsChina ............................. 9.02 yuanCzech Republic ...... 27.30 korunasDenmark....................... 8.49 kroneEuro............................... 1.15 euroHong Kong................ 11.80 dollarsHungary ................... 315.97 forintsIndia.......................... 71.75 rupeesJapan........................... 122.46 yenMexico ....................... 18.22 pesosNew Zealand .............. 1.82 dollarsNorway ......................... 8.68 kronePakistan.................. 136.80 rupeesPhilippines ................. 58.66 pesosSouth Africa.................. 11.48 randSouth Korea.............. 1573.00 wonSri Lanka ................ 193.93 rupeesSweden....................... 10.11 kronaSwitzerland.................. 1.38 francsTaiwan ...................... 41.26 dollarsTurkey....................... 2.69 new liraUSA ............................ 1.53 dollars

NORTH AMERICANAmerican Express £36.14 +0.04Gannett 971.92 +15.29Hess Corp £37.36 +0.57Microsoft £20.16 +0.03Motors Liquidation 46.80Wal-Mart Stores £38.07 -0.12

AEROSPACE & DEFENCEAvon Rbbr 290 -1BAE Systems 303 +31/8Rolls-Royce 8421/2 +301/2

AIMBrady Plc 891/2 -1/2Dawson Intl 15/8Man Brnze 321/4

AUTOMOBILES & PARTSG K N 2105/8 +41/2

BANKSBarclays 2361/2 +11/4HSBC 5583/4 +37/8Lloyds Banking Gp 335/8Ryl Scotland 273/4 +1/8Stan Chart 15741/2 +141/2

BEVERAGESDiageo 1547 +441/2SABMiller £26 +7/8

CHEMICALSCroda £211/2 +1/2Elementis 98 1893/4 +51/8Johnsn Mat £241/8 +1/2

CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALSBalfour Beatty 2883/8 +27/8

Costain 233 +13

ELECTRICITYDrax Gp 5471/2 +3Intl Power 4047/8 -1/8SSE 1355 +26

ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTLaird 217 +13/4

EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTSAlliance Trust 3721/4 +4

FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICESBT Grp 2285/8 +21/4Cable & WirelessComm

325/8 +1/4

Cable & WirelessWwide

333/4 -1/4

Colt Group 105 +1/4KCOM 72 -11/2Talktalk Telecom 1395/8 +31/8

FOOD & DRUG RETAILERSMorrison W 3023/8 +43/8Sainsbury 314 +23/4Tesco 334 +4

FOOD PRODUCERSAB Food 1233 +13Tate Lyle 713 +8Unilever £21 +3/8

GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIESCentrica 323 +65/8National Grid 6431/2 +13Pennon Grp 719 +71/2Severn 1570 +26United Utils 614 +121/2

GENERAL FINANCIAL3i Group 2171/4 +31/4ICAP 3923/4London StockExch 1051 +17Man Group 1331/4 -11/2Provident Financial 1165 +19Schroders 1562 -18Schroders NV 1225 -15

GENERAL INDUSTRIALSCooksn Grp 7321/2 +411/2REXAM 4323/8 +41/4Smiths Grp 1064 +12

GENERAL RETAILERSAshley L 23 -3/4Carphone Whse 150Dixons Retail 187/8 +1/4Home Retail 1123/4 -11/4Inchcape 3761/2 +1/4Kingfisher 3131/2 +63/4M & S 384 +5Mothercare 161 -5Next £303/8 +5/8WH Smith 548 +3

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICESSmith Nph 640 +61/2

HOUSEHOLD GOODSAga Rangemaster 901/4 +11/4Barrat Dev 139 -2Persimmon 6441/2 +41/2Reckitt Benckiser £357/8 +1/2Taylor Wimpey 521/8 +5/8

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGI M I 995 +221/2

INDUSTRIAL METALSFerrexpo 3051/4 -1/4

INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATIONBBA Aviation 216 +2

LIFE INSURANCEAviva 3331/8 +15/8Lgl & Gen 1317/8 +11/4Old Mutual 1623/4 +41/4Prudential 764 +161/2Resolution 2631/2 +21/4Standard Life 2311/8 +13/8

MEDIABSkyB 681 +5D Mail Tst 457 +51/2ITV 893/4 +11/2Johnston Press 61/2Pearson 1221 +56Reed Elsevier 5641/2 +91/2STV Group 1171/2 -1/2Trinity Mirror 371/2Utd Business 6411/2 +151/2UTV 1501/4 +1/4WPP 8731/2 +19Yell Group 41/8 +3/8

MININGAnglo American £235/8 +3/8Antofagasta 1153 +1BHP Billiton 1965 +571/2Eurasian NaturalRes

5961/2 +4

Fresnillo 1664 +66Kazakhmys 9201/2 +121/2Lonmin 1040 +18Rio Tinto £351/2 +11/8

VEDANTARESOURCES

1260 +32

Xstrata 1097 +29MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES

Inmarsat 4601/4Vodafone Group 1755/8 +31/2

NONLIFE INSURANCEAdmiral Grp 1189 +2RSA Insurance Gp 1053/4 +11/4

OIL & GAS PRODUCERSBG 14781/2 +301/2BP 4711/2 +87/8Cairn Energy 3203/8 -23/4Royal Dutch Shell A £221/4 +3/8Royal Dutch Shell B £223/8 +3/8

Total £321/2 +3/4Tullow Oil 1552 +25

OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICESAMEC 1141 +33Petrofac 1772 +32Wood Gp(J) 7331/2 +17

PERSONAL GOODSBurberry Gp 1528 +31

PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGYAstrazeneca £281/4 +1/2GlaxoSmithK XD 321/2Shire £203/8 +1/4

REAL ESTATEBrit Land 4801/4 +1/4Captl Shop Cent 3331/8 +13/4Hamrsn 4173/8 +13/4Land Secs 7301/2 +8SEGRO 2351/4 +1/2

SOFTWARE ETC SERVICESInvensys 2031/8 +41/8Logica 100 +3/8Misys 349 -9Sage Group 2995/8 +3/8

SUPPORT SERVICESBerendsen 5251/2 +31/2Bunzl 1028 +24Capita 747 +141/2De La Rue 913 +13Electrocomp 2497/8 +21/8Experian 9961/2 +22G4S 2751/8 +25/8Hays 851/4 +7/8Homeserve 2343/4 +11/4

Menzies J 610 +10Rentokil 871/2 +21/4Smiths News 901/2 +13/4Wolseley £243/8 +5/8

IT HARDWAREARM Hldgs 6071/2 +151/2Psion 62 -1/4Spirent Comms 1621/4 +13/4

TOBACCOBr Am Tob £321/4 +3/4Imperial Tobacco £257/8 +1/2

LEISURE & HOTELSBwin.Party Digital 1593/8 +43/8Carnival £20 +1/8Compass Grp 671 +151/2easyJet 4871/8 +11/4Enterprise Inns 59FirstGroup 225 -123/4Go-Ahead Gp 1248 +2Greene King 5141/2 +11/2Intercontl Htls 1480 +27Intl Cons AirlinesGp

184 +51/8

Ladbrokes 164 +37/8Mitchells & Butlers 2673/4 -23/8Natl Express 2363/8 -41/2Rank Org 1283/4 -3/8Stagecoach Group 2481/4 -71/8TUI Travel 1963/4 +1/2Whitbread 1866 +22

INDEXFTSE 100 5874.89 +106.44

INDEXFTSE 250 11655.06 +116.18

Carclo 3701/4Marshalls 951/2 -3National Grid 6431/2 +13Weir Gp 1813 +49

POLLING firm YouGov is to roll out anew service helping companies makesense of the “noise” generated on socialnetworking sites such as Twitter.

The pollster already has a panel of426,000 people that it uses for its UKmarket research.

But it will soon start tracking their“tweets” and other feeds on socialmedia to help brands and companiesbuild a clearer picture of what is beingsaid about them online.

The data wil l be re layed in“real-time” which means it will bequicker than the traditional method ofgetting feedback by asking peoplequestions.

It will also include monitoring Face-book, which can be hard for companiesto keep tabs on.

YouGov said its investment in thisand other new products and overseasexpansion had caused underlyingprofits to fall by 9% to £2m in the six

months to January 31.This was despite a 21% growth in UK

revenues, where its recently-launchedonline SixthSense reports businessdoubled in size and it worked withclients such as the Bill and MelindaGates Foundation, Peugeot and Super-drug.

The company said: “The explosiverise of social media and networks hasitself become a trending topic thatconcerns most organisations or busi-

nesses interested in public opinion.“YouGov has been working on two

problems not successfully addressed bycurrently available social media meas-uring tools – how to obtain robust andactionable data with which to assesssignificance of the noise and how toeffectively include Facebook, not justTwitter.”

Other products due be launched thismonth include a study that tracksdemand for internet-enabled televi-

sions, attitudes towards them and howthey are used.

And it will launch a new “dash-board” service to collate all up-to-dateinformation into one package.

In the UK, it said the squeeze hittingthe retail sector had hurt some of itsclients and slowed its growth.

But its BrandIndex service, whichtracks public perception of thousandsof brands across the world, gained newclients such as Peugeot and Superdrug– bringing the total number to 30 in theUK.

The group’s total revenues increasedby 11% to £29.9m, helped by stronggrowth in the US and the Nordiccountries.

Although it still made a bottom-lineloss of £300,000 – roughly the same as ayear ago – it said it intends to startpaying a dividend to shareholders,which it expects to announce after itsfull-year results.

A LEADING five-a-side football pitchoperator has confirmed it is in thetakeover sights of one of Canada’sbiggest pension funds.

Goals Soccer Centres, which has42 UK sites, has received anapproach from Ontario Teachers’Pension Plan – but added theinterest was at an early stage andthat there was no certainty an offerwill be forthcoming.

Shares in East Kilbride-basedGoals closed up 17.5p or 16% at125p yesterday.

Ontario Teachers is already hometo a number of leading Canadiansports assets, including the TorontoFC Major League Soccer team.

The business invests the pensionassets and administers the pen-sions of 295,000 active and retiredteachers in Ontario.

Goals experienced softer thanexpected trading over the summer ,but a marketing campaign under the“Get Back in the Game” banner res-ulted in a turnaround in fortunesover the remainder of last year.

Goals saw a 1% rise in like-for-likesales during 2011, while underlyingprofits increased by 11% to £13.8m.

The company has opened 10 newcentres to its estate in the last twoyears, but has kicked further open-ings into touch while it focuses onimproving performance.

HOPES of a bidding warfor software group Misysended when a privateequity consortium pulledout of the race to buy thefirm.

The withdrawal byCVC Capital Partnersand ValueAct – thecompany’s biggestshareholder – clears thepath for a £1.3bntakeover by US firm VistaEquity Partners, whichlast month secured thebacking of the Misysboard.

Shares in the UKcompany, which includessome of the world’s top50 banks among itsclients closeddown 9p or3% at 349p yesterday asthe consortium followedSwiss software firmTemenos in pulling out ofthe auction.

Vista Equity plans tocombine Misys, whichemploys 4,000 staffworldwide and wasfounded in the UK in1979, with Turaz, aprovider of trade and riskmanagement software.

Misys chairman SirJames Crosby, formerchief executive of bankHBOS, said last monththat the 350p a sharedeal, which is subject toshareholder andregulatory approval,offered “attractive value”.

Bid rivalbacks out

Five-a-side firm attracts interest

Polling firm unveilsmonitoring service

BETTER than expected growth in themanufacturing sector in March wasovershadowed by one of the steepestrises in input prices for 20 years.

The Markit/CIPS survey, where areading above 50 represents growth,hit a 10-month high of 52.1, whichwas higher than February’s score andexceeded City expectations of 50.8 –although the growth was partly drivenby companies building up levels ofinventories at record rates.

While the survey indicates that thesector returned to growth in the firstquarter of 2012, it also showed thataverage prices rose at their fastest ratesince last August in “a marked turn-

around” from the sharp declines justtwo months ago.

The extent of the pick-up in costssince the start of 2012 – driven byrising oil and metal prices – is amongthe steepest in the survey’s 20-yearhistory and is already starting to passits way through to customers, withselling prices up at their fastest pacefor half a year.

Rob Dobson, senior economist atMarkit, said manufacturers were con-cerned about the recent rise in inputprices, which mainly reflected higheroil prices. Strong competition meantfirms were struggling to pass onhigher prices.

Rise in costs and growth

£8m hitNATIONWIDE AccidentRepair Services, whichmainly provides servicesfor insurers, swung to a£2.9m loss in 2011,compared to a £6.4mprofit the previous year.The group took an £8mhit after implementing acost cutting programmesaid it expects trading toremain challenging.

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national Page 2

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

SarahGathercole

The OfficeFixer

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: AdministrationconsultantAge: 40Family: Married toAlex CrosseHolidays: Campingin the UK, especiallyNorth YorkshireCar: Suzuki GrandVitaraFirst job: OfficejuniorBest thing aboutjob: Meeting peopleand helping custom-ersWorst thingabout job: Workingfrom homeBusiness tip:Keep in top of yourcash flow. Make sureyou get paid!

Work: Consultancymaking sure officesrun smoothlySite: Farnley TyasPhone: 01484818783Email: sarah@theofficefixer.co.ukWebsite: www.theofficefixer.co.uk

Sarah’srufflinga fewfeathers

HAD a good day at theoffice?

That’s a question thatSarah Gathercole aims tohelp employers answer inthe affirmative.

The 40-year-old head ofMosaic Virtual Office –which provides day-to-dayadmin support for smallbusinesses in WestYorkshire – began hercareer as a 17-year-oldoffice junior and has morethan 20 years experience ofoffice life.

Now she is adding to herbusiness interests with TheOffice Fixer, which she hasset up to provide abusiness management rolefor companies in allsectors.

Sarah, who hails fromSheffield, said: “I was anoffice junior in the JapanBusiness Service Unit atSheffield University.

“I worked my way upthrough various PA andadmin roles in both thepublic and private sectors.

“I came to Huddersfield10 years ago asconference and cateringmanager at Syngenta andstarted Mosaic six yearsago.

“I did typing with myO-Levels and also tookshorthand and wordprocessing, so they wereskills I already had.

“I always said I didn’twant to be a secretary –but I didn’t know what elseto do!”

Says Sarah: “I am quitebossy and like to do thingsmy own way – so havingmy own business wasalways going to happen!”

Sarah set up Mosaic toprovide office adminservices to help busy soletraders and other small

firms. At Mosaic, Sarahworks with a number ofassociates, leaving her tooversee the business.

The Office Fixerprovides her with ahands-on role – using her20-plus years ofexperience working in andmanaging offices andbusinesses to provideconsultancy support tosmall businesses.

The aim is to help gettheir office and adminsystems running smoothlyand efficiently – so thatthey support the businessand enable growth, ratherthan being a paperworkheadache.

Sarah says it can bedifficult persuading someemployers – who may havebuilt up their business bythemselves – to relinquishtheir grip on certainaspects of operations.

Some of them view theirbusiness as “their baby” –an attitude Sarah can

relate to as she admits tobeing a bit of a “controlfreak” herself.

“Over the last few years,I have often come acrossbusiness owners who don’twant to outsource adminwork as they think no-oneelse will do it in the rightway.

“Whilst my businesswasn’t fully ‘processorised’– a word I have developedto explain what I helpbusinesses do – I did havea level of processes andinstruction manuals inplace so that members ofmy team could do taskswithout me having to giveinput every step of the way.

“I realised that I couldhelp others do the same intheir business.”

Says Sarah: ““There aremany reasons whybusiness owners shouldput processes andstructures in place in theirbusinesses, ranging fromsimply keeping their sanityas it helps you get control,right through to increasingthe business value forsale.”

And she adds: “Theoffice is the engine room ofany business. Nearly everyarea of activity feeds intothe office in some way, soit makes sense to makesure the office is runningsmoothly and supportingthe business properly.”

Strangely, though, forsomeone steeped in theways of the office, Sarahnow works from home –but keeps in contact withthe wider business worldthrough regular attendanceat networking events.

“I find it really difficult tobe at home all day,” sheadmits. “I have an in-builtdiscipline to get up and

work and finish whatever Iam doing.

“Working from homemeans I can go out forlunch with a friend knowingI can work into the eveningif necessary.

“But we are socialanimals. I enjoy networkingbecause it is very muchbased on buildingrelationships with otherpeople. It’s 50% businessand 50% socialising.”

Sarah is operationsassistant for theHuddersfield 4Networkinggroup – one of severalacross West Yorkshire.She also attendsHuddersfield Town CentrePartnership events.

“Networking has beenkey for me in driving mybusiness,” she says.

“With 4Networking youget ‘passport’ membership,which means you canattend any 4Networkingmeeting in the country.

“The Huddersfield groupmeets fortnightly at TheAspley restaurant.

“I have attended all thelocal 4Networking groupsat least once, includingSheffield, where I am from.

“I have been a membersince last summer and bythe autumn I had quite afew clients because ofthat.”

When work allows,Sarah and her husbandAlex are kept busy withtheir feathered friends.

“I keep chickens and myhusband has racingpigeons” Sarah explains.“Last year also saw my firstattempt to growvegetables. We have agarden that looks more likean allotment!

“I have has some

success with peas andbroad beans, although Iover-estimated how muchspace they would need.”

Talking about her flock offowls, she says: “I just likedthe idea of havingchickens. They are funnyand entertaining. We don’teat many eggs, so I sellthem to family and friends.I would like to have someducks as well!

“My husband has beenracing pigeons since hewas eight years old,including long distanceracing in France.

“The chickens andallotment get me awayfrom work, away from thecomputer screen and intothe fresh air.

“I always have to bedoing something. I’m notone to sit and twiddle mythumbs.”

■ DRIVE: Sarah Gathercoleof The Office Fixer

Who will be the nextBusiness of the Month?If you are proud of what your business has achieved;why not tell us about your success storyand you could be a winner of ourprestigious award.

For further details please contact:Ian Greenwood, Eaton Smith Solicitors,14 High Street, Huddersfield HD1 2HA

T: 01484 821389 E: iangreenwood@eatonsmith.co.uk

Business Of The Month Awards - Rewarding Success Since 1995

Will Morris is risk management consultant at Wilby Ltd

RISKYBUSINESSWill Morris

It’s service on a plate

■ NO GRUMBLES: Peter Whitcher (left), ofGrumblin’ Tums, pictured with mentor ChrisSampson

Welcome forthese changesAN energy managementconsultancy has welcomed plans tosimplify the system for reportingenergy consumption and paying forCO2 emissions.

Chancellor George Osborne hasannounced his intentions to consulton cutting the administrative burdenfor businesses – throwing the doorsopen for a number of alternativemethods of assessing and collectingthe charge.

Jesse Fox, of Elland-basedOrchard Energy, said any moves tomake it easier for businesses tocomply with the Carbon ReductionCommitment were welcome.

The Government is holding aconsultation between now and theautumn, when proposals to replaceCRC revenues with an alternativeenvironmental tax will beannounced.

But Mr Fox said any changeswouldn’t affect the buying ofallowances this year, which must bepurchased during June and July.

He said: “The CRC Scheme, as itstands, will run until the end of theintroductory phase, 2013/14, withthe cost of allowances for next yearalready being confirmed in theBudget as £12 per tonne.

“The next Performance LeagueTable is expected to be published inOctober and will include reductionsand increases in emissions.”

Mr Fox said the collation of datawas often time-consuming andcomplex, particularly fororganisations operating a number ofdifferent businesses or retailers withmultiple sites.

“Businesses can start filingreports from April 1 and they haveuntil the end of July to complete boththe reporting and purchasingprocess,” he said.

All firms registered under thescheme should take meter readingsas close to March 31 as possible toensure they were reporting actualrather than estimated figures.

He said: “Sadly, any newmeasures are unlikely to lead tobusinesses paying less for their CO2emissions, which can be anythingupwards of £50,000 a year forqualifying businesses and far higherfor big energy users.

“However, whatever form thissimplification takes it will hopefullymean organisations need to spendless time completing paperwork.”

New routeTHOMSON Airways has announceda new addition to its holiday and flycruise programme from LeedsBradford Airport with theintroduction of the Red Sea resort ofSharm el Sheikh.

The new route will complementan increase in seat capacity to thepopular winter sun destination ofTenerife.

Flights to Sharm el Sheikh starton Thursday, November 8, whileflights to Tenerife start the followingday.

Don’t neglect thedangers of gasTHE Health and Safety

Executive is campaigningto inform everyone about theimportance of gas safety.

According to HSE statistics,around 15 people die from carbonmonoxide poisoning every year.There are things you can do tokeep yourself safe.

It is recommended that all land-lords and business ownersresponsible for gas appliances incommercial buildings have boil-ers, gas fires etc checked for safetyby a Gas Safe Register engineerand the annual certificates areheld on file.

By law, landlords have to makesure that the gas appliances inyour rented accommodation aresafe for you to use. Landlords alsohave to provide you with a copy ofthe gas safety check record eitherprior to moving in or within 28days of the annual check beingcompleted if you are an existingtenant. Knowing your rights whenyou rent could save your life.

The duties of landlords are spe-cified in the Gas Safety (Installa-tion and Use) Regulations 1998.

A landlord must ensure that allrelevant gas appliances arechecked for safety within 12months of being installed andthen at intervals of not more than

12 months.This issue has been highlighted

again after a series of incidents.A gas fitter from Bradford has

been sentenced after leaving anelderly woman and a couple at riskwhen he fitted new boilers for themboth. An investigation by the HSEfound that he wasn’t accredited bythe Gas Safe Register.

He had set up his own businessin 2010 and had let his registrationlapse. He admitted four chargesunder the Gas Safety (Installation& Use) Regulations 1998.

He was given a 12 months com-munity order of 200 hours unpaidwork, ordered to pay £1,000 costsand a further £350 in compensa-tion to the Otley householder forwork that had to be re-done.

It is strongly advisable that any-one who needs to have any gaswork done ensures that the trades-

person is registered with GasSafe.

A GP from Glasgow was prosec-uted after failing to maintain a gasboiler at a student flat he owned inOxford.

An engineer was called out torepair the boiler in December,2010, but refused to service theboiler and called in an emergencygas engineer who immediately con-demned the boiler and flue andreported it to the HSE.

It was later revealed that thelandlord had failed to maintain theflat’s boiler and flue for two years,consequently endangering the livesof his tenants by exposing them tothe risk of carbon monoxide pois-oning.

If gas appliances are leftunchecked they can become unsafeover time. It is crucial to ensurethey are regularly checked.

NEW business owner Peter Whitcher only openedthe doors of his Huddersfield café four months ago– but he’s already thinking about expanding intopremises next door.

Peter had been unemployed for more than sixmonths when he opened the Grumblin’ Tums Caféin Moldgreen towards the end of last year.

He said: “I’ve worked in the catering industrybefore and with the job market so tough I decidedthat now was the right time to set-up on my own.”

The business has grown since the start of theyear with investment in local promotion helping toboost customers at the café, which is now openseven days a week.

His success has spurred Peter to think about newopportunities. “I’d like to extend into the premisesnext door and open a ‘make your own’ pizzatakeaway,” he said. “But in the long-term my idealcatering business would be a fish and chip shop.”

Peter, 45, is part of a new programme beingdelivered by the Wakefield-based West YorkshireEnterprise Agency for job seekers who have abusiness idea but need help to get it off the ground.

Participants on the programme are paired with avolunteer from the business community who acts astheir mentor as they prepare to start trading andbeyond. Peter was supported by Chris Sampson, ofBACS Training, which has sites in Dewsbury,Shipley and Sheffield.

“My mentor was a big help when it came towriting the business plan, especially on the financialplanning and the cashflow forecasts,” said Peterwho lives in Dalton.

Chris said: “The shared process of mentoring

was beneficial for me as well as Peter and alsoreminded me that with direct and appropriatesupport people are always more capable than wefirst think.

“I am looking forward to the next challenge and tosupporting the next prospective business person.”

West Yorkshire Enterprise Agency, an arm of theLockwood-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber ofCommerce, leads a county-wide consortiumresponsible for delivering the government’s NewEnterprise Allowance programme in West Yorkshire.Further details are available from Jobcentres. .

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CITYTALKSimon Kaye

ting a number of

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Hurray! I think we’veavoided Armageddon!THE price of risky – economically

sensitive – assets has risen sharplyacross the globe since the EuropeanCentral Bank turned on its hose ofliquidity to douse the flames ofEurope’s sovereign debt fires inDecember.

That much at least is indisputable. Thehappy question on investors’ lips is nowwhether the rally has the power to driveequities to new highs and history suggeststhat such a time is an opportune moment totake stock.

Undoubtedly, the ECB’s actions have aver-ted imminent disaster. The Long Term Refin-ancing Operation lending programme hassimultaneously re-liquefied and recapitalisedEuropean banks, whilst also indirectly sup-porting sovereign debt prices.

This has prevented a painful credit crunchin Europe which, coming on top of fiscalausterity programmes, had the potential tocause a spiral into depression that would havederailed the global economy. Little wonderthat stock markets have rebounded.

However, “Armageddon Avoided” is notthe same as “Paradise Regained”. We are nowat the point where the future course ofmarkets depends less upon an absence of(potentially terminal) negatives and moreupon a proliferation of more mundane posit-ives.

In refocusing upon the dynamics of themacro economic picture (rather than its sys-temic underpinnings) there are encouragingsigns. Although not uniformly so, in aggreg-ate economic data (that which reflects activitylevels today, rather than in the past) is beingreported better than preliminary forecasts.This suggests that economic growth projec-tions (which had already been factoring-insolid progress) may prove conservative.

The long standing recipe for the world to

climb out of the doldrums has been a “softtake-off” in America combined with a “softlanding” in China. There have been someconcerns recently that China’s landing may beharder than hoped, but we think worriesabout China this cycle are misplaced, sincethere is ample room to ease monetary policyshould the authorities choose to do so.

However, we are enthusiastic about devel-opments in America, where the employmentpicture has improved markedly at the sametime as (finally) the housing market looks tobe finding a floor. The combination of theremoval of the corrosive influence of declin-ing real estate prices on the nation’s financialhealth and its consumer psyche at themoment America’s economic engine is sput-tering to life is an appealing prospect. It isreflected in most recent stock market leader-ship being driven by financial shares –however unpopular in the media, a healthy

financial system (reflected in healthy financialshare prices) is a necessary pre-requisite to ahealthy capitalist economy.

So what are the flies in the ointment? Thesecome in two genera, the first are political, thesecond are philosophical. The most obviousare the former – the temperature in theMiddle East is high and oil prices have thepotential to choke-off a nascent recovery. Inaddition, it is clear that the gains made inEurope are still not baked in stone, withelections (France and Greece) and referenda(Ireland) capable of upsetting a delicate bal-ance.

Just as difficult is the philosophical issue ofvaluation, since it is far less easy than inAugust to argue that stocks and shares arecompellingly cheap. As always, it dependsupon your point of view. Valuation modelsthat rely upon short term data, or that do notadjust for (currently low) interest rates are nolonger supportive. Those that look longerterm and that take interest rates into accountare still very positive.

We are always inclined to the longer term,but interpret this dichotomy as a signal thatour secular optimism is vulnerable to a chal-lenge in the short term, for which we shouldbe prepared.

Legal partner steps downA WELL-KNOWN lawyer in Huddersfieldhas retired after 38 years of working inthe legal profession.John Royle, who has retired as a partnerat Huddersfield law firm Eaton Smith,began his career in 1974 with MarshallMills & Sykes, which subsequentlymerged with Eaton Smith & Downey in1997. Mr Royle made a majorcontribution to the development of themerged firm.As a senior member of the commercialproperty department, he specialised inbuying and selling company premisesand dealing with commercial leases,

representing businesses of all sizes in arange of sectors.Mr Royle is a former president andsecretary of the Huddersfield LawSociety and has been an active memberof the Law Society Uganda TwinningGroup, providing training for Ugandanlawyers, with which he intends tocontinue.Mr Royle is also a member of thecorporation of Kirklees College and acommercial mediator, roles which he willcontinue to pursue in the future, alongwith enjoying his outside interests ofclassic cars, cooking and gardening.

■ FAREWELL: Senior partner Andrew Sugden (right), congratulates commercialproperty partner John Royle on his retirement

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local Page 5

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Putting theirtrust in quality

Double celebrations!THE boss of a Huddersfield windowfirm has double cause for celebration.Alan Cosgrove, co-founder of SashWindows at Lockwood Road,Lockwood, marked 20 years inbusiness – and his 65th birthday.He is pictured (centre) receiving thegift of a diamond-studded Swiss watchfrom brother Keith (left) and colleagueJason Dickinson.Alan said things had changed a lotsince the company was launched in1992. “I was working from home,ordering frames by fax and storing

them in my garage,” he said.“Then things started to take off and Ihad to borrow a friend’s garage aswell.”The company, which is part of theNetwork VEKA group of independentwindow companies, suppliescustomers across the country.Most recently, Sash Windows hasgained a reputation as a specialistdesigner and installer of large andprestigious orangeries, but still doessteady business selling windows,doors and conservatories.

■ SUPPORT: Brian Berry,of the Federation of MasterBuilders

Powering up for recyclingBUILDERS and DIY fans alikehave been urged to recycletheir old power tools.Hardware retailer Clas Ohlsonis offering the chance totrade-in, recycle and upgradetheir old power tools betweennow and April 9 by bringingthem into its store at TheHeadrow, Leeds.The Swedish-owned retailer

also provides a servicerecycling old light bulbs andbatteries in-store throughoutthe year.Store manager KarlWaddington said: “Powertools are made from manymaterials that can be reusedand it is estimated that in theUK 75% of our electricalgoods end up in landfill.” THE UK’s largest con-

struction trade associationis urging its members to gofor quality.

The Federation of Mas-ter Builders is invitingmembers to join Trust-M a r k , t h e G o v e r n-ment-backed quality mark,which helps consumers tofind reliable and trust-worthy local tradesmen.

Previously, TrustMarkwas only available to FMBBuild Assure members.

All FMB members arenow eligible to join Trust-Mark because of the higherentry criteria now deman-ded of all new FMB mem-bers.

The new membershipwill provide an even betterand more rigorous protec-tion for consumers asmembers’ technical skillswill be independentlychecked through regularon-site inspections, as wellas checks on their tradingrecord and f inanc ia lstatus.

TrustMark spokesmanStuart Carter said: “It’s

great news that the FMB isoffering all of its membersthe opportunity to joinTrustMark, especially asthey have played such a keyrole as the leading schemeoperator for the construc-tion industry.

“We are here to help pro-

tect consumers and sign-post them to trustworthyand reputable firms. FMBmembers have got a lot togain by signing up withTrustMark.

“TrustMark tradesmen’sdetails were viewed morethan 3m times last yeart h r o u g h w w w. t r u s t-mark.org.uk – many ofwhich led to additionalmember leads and were avaluable route to growingtheir business.”

Brian Berry, FMB chiefexecutive, said: “We sup-port any credible attemptto combat the cowboys.The FMB provides servicesto help building firms runmore effective and efficientbusinesses.

“Joining TrustMark, aswell as being an FMBmember, is another wayour members can stand outand give themselves a com-petitive edge as it demon-strates to consumers thattheir work has been inspec-ted and they offer war-ranties.”

PositivepropertyHUDDERSFIELD isbecoming a hub forproperty experts andamateurs to exchangeideas about investmentopportunities, it isclaimed.

The town’s propertycommunity is thriving,according to investmentand management expertRachael Wilson(pictured), who headsHuddersfield PropertyInvestors Network.

She said: “It’s easy tolisten to the doom andgloom, but experiencedinvestors say it’s a greattime to buy property asprices are low and thereare many opportunitiesright now.

“There are manyreasons why property isstill a sound investmentand why seriousinvestors want tocontinue their propertyeducation.

“There is a strongrental market due todemand from students,professionals and peopleunable to get onto theproperty ladder. It is alsoa great time to refurbishproperties as buildingcosts are lower than afew years ago.”

PIN meetings arehosted in 26 differentlocations across the UK,and despite the economicclimate, are growing yearon year, with 50-plusinvestors attendinglocally.

The latest Huddersfieldmeeting takes place at6pm today at the CedarCourt Hotel Ainley Top,when experts includingsolicitors, estate agents,lettings agents, mortgagebrokers and buildingtradesmen are expectedto attend.

Said Ms Wilson: “Withindividuals turning toproperty in order tocounter gloomypredictions about theirpersonal pensions, PINmeetings are anopportunity to findpositive solutions andassistance.

“Networking,exchanging informationand working togetherbrings real benefits. It isalso a welcomingenvironment for anyonetaking early steps inlearning about property.”

Book at www.pinhuddersfield.co.uk

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 6

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1st floor offices to let withaccompanying storage upto 4,376 square feetMain road location

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Your first-hand experience of being in business could benefitsomeone who is about to set-up on their own.All we need is one hour every fortnight. It’s not a lot butyou could make a huge difference to someone else’s life.MYMentor is a network of people from all backgroundssupporting jobseekers in Kirklees who want to beself-employed.

www.mycci.co.ukConnecting & Supporting Business

More lettings forHalifax schemeMORE high street names have made acommitment to a new shoppingdevelopment in West Yorkshire.Halifax’s Broad Street Plaza, which isbeing built by Elland-based MarshallConstruction, has added leisurebrands Nando’s, TGI Friday’s and PureGym to the list of occupants.The new arrivals mean the scheme is95% let just three months away fromcompletion.Other secured tenants include VueCinema, Frankie and Benny’s, TheChinese Buffet, Wetherspoons,Harvester, Pizza Express, a 100-bedPremier Inn hotel, a 429-space carpark, a meet-and-greet centre let toCalderdale Metro and an NHS drop-incentre.The 280,000sq ft Broad Street Plazascheme is billed as one of the biggestmixed-use and leisure schemes tostart on site in the North of Englandsince the onset of the downturn.It is also the most significant newregeneration development in Halifaxfor more than 10 years.The regeneration project by GregoryProjects, part of the Leeds-basedGregory Property Group, gainedfinancial backing from regionaldevelopment agency YorkshireForward and Santander.The scheme, which began on-site inJuly, 2010, is set to create about 400jobs.Broad Street Plaza is scheduled to becompleted in late May.

Builders’ traininglevy to continueCHANGES to the charges leviedon building firms to pay for con-struction training have been wel-comed.

MPs voted unanimously infavour of keeping the construc-tion Levy for a further three years.They also approved a number ofindustry-led revisions to theCITB-ConstructionSkills LevyOrder aimed at helping compan-ies cope in the face of difficulteconomic conditions.

The MPs supported amend-ments to the skills body’s stat-utory funding system, includingreductions to levy payments forsome small businesses andchanges to make the applicationof the levy more closely aligned toindustry’s wishes.

The Levy Working Party, com-prising several employer federa-tions, led the development of thechanges which were widely sup-ported by industry and will comeinto force this year.

Steve Housden, sector strategy

manager for CITB-Construction-Skills in Yorkshire, said: “We aredelighted that the changes to the

levy have been approved – givingcontinued support to the import-ant work of CITB-Construction-Skills in Kirklees.

“Over the last 18 months, wehave been working hard withindustry to revise the Levy, ensur-ing that it reflects the desire ofboth employers and industry fed-erations for a simpler and moreconsistent system.”

He said: “The levy is as vitaltoday as it has always been and byreinvesting it through grants andtraining it will help the industryreturn to growth – so it can play itspart in improving the overall eco-nomic health of the nation. Thelevy will also support the industryas it adapts to a time of unpreced-ented change.”

Skills Minister John Hayes said:“The levy is an important measureto safeguard skills and training inconstruction by ensuring the costof training is shared amongemployers more evenly.

"CITB-ConstructionSkills has

a strong track record of support-ing employers and employees witha wide range of services, includingsetting occupational standards,delivering vocational qualifica-tions and driving up apprentice-ships and it continues to play animportant role in putting in placethe skilled workforce to drive theUK economy to long-term sus-tainable growth.”

Changes to the levy includeintroducing a reduction of 50%for employers whose salary bill forstaff and payments to labour-onlysub-contractors is between£80,000 to £100,000 and ironingout historical inconsistencies sothat employers will now pay levyon catering, agricultural andpart-time staff.

The levy rate will remain at0.5% on payments to directlyemployed workers and 1.5% onpayments to labour-only sub-con-tractors.

■ SAFEGUARD: Skills MinisterJohn Hayes welcomed the vote

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS property Page 7

All enquiries to Alec Michael at Michael Steel & Coon 0113 32489999 or email alec@michaelsteel.co.ukwww.michaelsteel.co.uk

Industrial

Industrial

TO LET

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Available as a whole or in fivesuites. Modern specification withunder floor comfort cooling andexcellent on-site parking.

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Trio join forcesto aid hospice

■ BACKING GROUP: Forget Me Not Children's Hospice Chief Executive Peter Branson (left)with Jeremy Garside, Kevin Winterburn and Andy Howarth

David Cooper, Colin Beard & Eddie Murkin

Millers OilsSPECIALIST oil and lubricants manufacturerMillers Oils has announced a number of newappointments to strengthen its sales teams.

The Brighouse-based firm has appointedDavid Cooper and Colin Beard as internalaccount managers. Working from thecompany’s head office, they will be responsiblefor expanding the Scottish and Southerncustomer bases respectively and will report toUK sales manager Wayne Baker.

Mr Cooper joins Millers Oils from JLA Ltd,where he was an account manger responsiblefor generating new business and managingcustomer retention.

Before joining Millers Oils, Mr Beard was asenior account manager at Welcome Finance,leading more than 300 accounts.

Outside Yorkshire, Millers Oils has appointedEddie Murkin as area sales manager for theNorth West.

Mr Murkin has more than four years ofexperience in the automotive aftermarketindustry, following area sales positions atSnap-On Equipment and Unipart AutomotiveGroup. In his new role, he will be the key pointof contact for Millers Oils’ customers andpartners in the North West.

Craig Booth

WestWon LtdASSET finance and leasing provider WestWonLtd has appointed Holmfirth man Craig Boothto spearhead its north of England operations.

Mr Booth (pictured) has wide experience ofthe asset finance and leasing sector gainedwith household names such as HSBC, NatWest and First National. He has also worked aslogistics manager for CitySprint in HemelHempstead.

Said Mr Booth: “Industry figures show thatasset finance and leasing is increasingly beingused to fund business and public sector capitalinvestments in the UK – because it makesbusiness sense. Around the Huddersfield area,there are wealth of traditional and newindustries which need to buy or replace vitalequipment. We can help them do it in the mosttax efficient way, and also, crucially, avoid thewhole issue of obsolescence.”

Emma Davies

Grant ThorntonBUSINESS adviser GrantThornton has promoted EmmaDavies to director leading thefirm’s newly establishedenterprise group based at itsSheffield office.

Ms Davies (pictured) joinedGrant Thornton 19 years ago andtrained and qualified with the firm.During her time at GrantThornton, Emma has acquired variedexperience including working as assurancemanager in the audit department, completing a12-month secondment to the firm’s Melbourneoffice; and undertaking secondments toengineering business GE and also to Wraith Plcand Birse Plc.

THREE Kirklees companies havejoined forces to promote a fun-draising event on behalf of theHuddersfield-based Forget MeNot Children’s Hospice.

Cleckheaton-based employmentlaw specialist Howarths has linkedup with solicitors ChadwickLawrence and accountancy firmSheards, both with offices in Hud-dersfield, to promote the charity’ssecond annual charity ball to beheld at the Galpharm Stadium onSaturday, June 16.

The link-up was agreed byHowarths managing directorA n dy H owa r t h , C h a dw i c kLawrence managing partnerJeremy Garside and Sheards part-ner Kevin Winterburn.

Mr Howarth said: “Howarthsran a similar function last year atthe Galpharm and it was such agreat evening – and raised over£3,000 for the hospice – that wedecided to organise the event againthis year.

“We were hoping that by enlist-ing the support of well-known andlong-established businesses in thetown centre, we could attract moresupport from local businesses. Wewere absolutely delighted whenJeremy and Kevin agreed to lendtheir support ”

Mr Garside said: “ChadwickLawrence took a table at last year’sevent and we enjoyed it so muchthat we had no hesitation in agree-ing to become more involved whenAndy approached us.

“I know the work of the hospiceand what that means to the localcommunity and if we can assist inany way towards helping establishthe hospice, we are happy to doso.”

Mr Winterburn commented:“The work of the hospice isundeniably invaluable not just tothe residents of Huddersfield andsurrounding areas, but to mostother areas of West Yorkshire. Lastyear’s event was a fantastic nightout – so why not support a greatcause and have fun at the sametime?”

Hospice chief executive PeterBranson said: “The Forget MeNot Children’s Hospice supportschildren with life limiting condi-tions and their families.

“Now we are over a year intodelivering a Hospice at Home ser-vice, working with over 30 familiesand we are on the cusp of realisingthe dream of opening our very ownchildren’s hospice.”

Said Mr Branson: “There is nocharge for the care and support webring to children and families. Asless than 4% of our funding comesfrom government sources, we mustwork hard to raise funds to enableus to care for those who need us.”

For details of the black tie event,contact Tracey Hopkins on 01274864999 or send her an email totracey@howarths-uk.com

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers Page 8