kirklees business news 31/01/12

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSThe business NEWSpaper for Kir k lees31, Januar y, 2012

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CLAIRE STEPHENSON

Fu l l i n te r v i ew - Page 3Red tape reforms

Co lumn - Page 5

An EXAMINER publication

Britanniarules!ROADSIDE recoveryspecialist BritanniaRescue has landed ajob-creating deal withBrightside Group plc toprovide breakdowncover to 90,000 motorinsurance customerswithin its brokerdivision. The win seesBritannia Rescue,based at Folly HallMills, take on 90,000existing Brightsidecustomers over thenext 12 months.

Join thebook clubA FASHIONABLELondon club is thevenue for an event tocelebrate the latestbook by Huddersfieldbusinesswoman.Denby Dale-based JoHaigh is marking thelaunch of her fourthbook on businessmatters at privatemembers’ club “eight”.The book, TheFinancial Times Guideto Finance forNon-financialManagers, aims tomake seeminglycomplex financialinformation moreunderstandable.

NEIL WILSONFTSE 100- 62 .36

5671.09

Funding boost for expanding Brighouse firmA BRIGHOUSE company has landed six-fig-ure funding towards a £1.5m investment pro-gramme.

Halifax Rack & Screw, which has itspremises at Coronation Works, ArmytageRoad, received £200,000 from the secondround of the Government’s flagship RegionalGrowth Fund.

Colin Jones, financial director, said thegrant would be used to continue the modern-isation and expansion of existing productionfacilities as part of its current £1.5m invest-ment strategy.

He said the investment would safeguardexisting jobs while helping to create newemployment opportunities for the future.

He said: “This investment, a continuation ofthe heavy capital outlay made by the companyover the last few years, will help to furtherenhance the company’s world-wide reputation

as a high quality, niche precision engineeringcompany.

“Improved production efficiencies will helpexpansion plans both within the domestic andexport markets in a variety of sectors includ-ing engineering, construction, offshore andenergy.”

HRS was established in 1953 and employsmore than 40 people at its 30,000sq ft facil-ity.

The firm was founded to serve the localprecision tool industry, but has grown tobecome a leading specialist manufacturer andsupplier of gear rack, pinions and screws foruse in a wide range of areas, including lifts andelevators, power transmission, transport,power generation, mobility aids, automotive,aerospace, defence, oil and gas, engineeringand shipbuilding. ■ BOOST: Halifax Rack & Screw, based at at Armytage

Road, Brighouse, aims to create more jobs

Company is a truetraining championA DEWSBURY firm has become anational ambassador for apprentice-ships.

Rixonway Kitchens has been namedas a Yorkshire and Humber Appren-ticeship Ambassador for the NationalApprenticeship Service and will pro-mote the key benefits to businessesacross the region in the run-up toNational Apprenticeship Week.

The NAS was set up to increase thenumber of apprenticeship opportunit-ies in England and provides a dedic-ated service for both employers andlearners.

And its work is all the more vitalafter figures showed youth unemploy-ment reaching 1m in the UK last year– and the number of 16 to 24-year-oldsin Yorkshire and the Humber risingfrom 33,000 to 157,000.

National Apprenticeship Week runsfrom next Monday to Friday.

This year, Rixonway will offer sixapprenticeship opportunities in a vari-ety of roles within the business, includ-ing accountancy, administration,warehouse management, distribution,engineering and transport.

Anthony Knowles, head of Appren-ticeships Employer Accounts forYorkshire, said: “Rixonway’s involve-

ment as an Apprenticeship Ambas-sador is key to the success of theprogramme in Yorkshire.

“Apprenticeships ensure that aworkforce has the practical skills andqualifications that an organisationneeds now and in the future. Themixture of on and off job learningensures they learn the skills that workbest for your business.”

Paul Rose, chief executive of Rixon-way Kitchens, said: “We have alwayssupported apprentices at Rixonwayand have seen great benefits fromemploying them.

“Experience has shown us thatapprentices tend to be eager, motiv-ated, flexible and loyal to the companythat have invested in them.

“We chose to become involved in thegrowing ambassador network to relayour great experiences to other busi-nesses in the region and to helpprovide opportunities for the futuretalent in both manufacturing andother areas of the UK economy.”

Said Mr Knowles: “ “Over 130,000workplaces in England offer appren-ticeships because they understand thebenefits to their business whichinclude increased productivity,improved competitiveness and a com-

mitted and competent work-force.There are of course financial benefitstoo, apprenticeships can deliver realreturns to a company’s bottom line.”

Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kit-chens is one of the leading kitchenmanufacturers working in affordableand social housing.

With more than 30 years experience

operating throughout the UK, thecompany said it was committed tocombating youth disengagement andworklessness and ensuring it remains asocially responsible business.

Rixonway employs 450 people at its170,000 sq ft base in Yorkshire, includ-ing 40 dedicated designers who oper-ate nationally.

■ THE AMBASSADORS: Rixonway chief executive Paul Rose (centre) withapprentices Sam Greenbank and Toni Larkin

High time for training

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS national

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FTSE

5671.09Down 62.36

Hungryfor salesA SUPPLIER ofsausages and bacon tosupermarkets reported a10% sales jump after itspork products featuredon more dinner tablesover Christmas.

Hull-based Cranswick,which supplies the JamieOliver brand as well asSainsbury’s and Tesco,said meat-eaters wereturning to pork because itrepresents good valueand is healthiercompared to other typesof proteins.

All its productcategories saw improvedtrading, with “particularlystrong” demand forbacon and fresh porkensuring sales for thequarter to December 31were up by 10% on ayear earlier.

Exports sales werebuoyant, while sales ofpastry productscontinued to show“pleasing progress”.

The latest figurecompares with growth of8% in the quarter toSeptember 30 and 5% inthe period prior to that.

Cranswick alsoreported someimprovement in itsoperating margin.

HOVIS and Mr Kipling ownerPremier Foods will launch a major TVadvertising push this week – afteradmitting its marketing efforts hadfailed to keep pace with competitors.

The debt-laden group has doubledits marketing spend to more than£50m for this year in a bid to build onthe “strengths and heritage” of itseight “power” brands, which alsoinclude Bisto, Batchelors, Oxo andAmbrosia.

Sharwood’s will kick off the mar-keting push on Thursday with itsGreat British Curry campaign show-ing a chef visiting local curry housesacross Britain.

American presenter Loyd Gross-man, whose name is lent to a numberof cooking sauces, will return to tele-vision from February 6 in an advertthat will highlight his passion forfood, while a new Hovis ad fromFebruary 10 will continue a previouscampaign showing a young boy’sjourney through recent history.

Chief executive Michael Clarke,who joined the business from Kraftlast year, said: “The awareness andpopularity of our power brandsremain strong, but it’s clear that wehaven’t invested enough in marketingcompared with our competitors. I’mcommitted to changing that.”

Premier marketing drive

INSURER Aviva hassold its businesses inthe Czech Republic,Hungary and Romaniato MetLife for anundisclosed sum.

The deal, which issubject to regulatoryapproval, is part ofAviva’s strategy offocusing on key markets.The businesses hadcombined assets worth£48m.

Aviva insell-off

TOURIST RATES

Tourists going abroad can expectthe following rates for sterling:Australia...................... 1.41 dollarsBangladesh................. 124.87 takaBrazil.............................. 2.43 realsCanada....................... 1.50 dollarsChina ............................. 8.86 yuanCzech Republic ...... 27.50 korunasDenmark....................... 8.42 kroneEuro............................... 1.14 euroHong Kong................ 11.54 dollarsHungary ................... 314.63 forintsIndia.......................... 68.36 rupeesJapan........................... 114.42 yenMexico ....................... 18.14 pesosNew Zealand .............. 1.78 dollarsNorway ......................... 8.71 kronePakistan.................. 133.30 rupeesPhilippines ................. 57.83 pesosSouth Africa.................. 11.49 randSouth Korea.............. 1541.00 wonSri Lanka ................ 168.48 rupeesSweden....................... 10.15 kronaSwitzerland.................. 1.37 francsTaiwan ...................... 40.71 dollarsTurkey....................... 2.66 new liraUSA ............................ 1.50 dollars

NORTH AMERICANAmerican Express £31.27 -0.50Gannett 889.68 -80.30Hess Corp £34.91 -0.31Microsoft 1862.85Motors Liquidation 47.80Wal-Mart Stores £38.72 +0.03

AEROSPACE & DEFENCEAvon Rbbr 314 -4BAE Systems 3103/4 -43/4Rolls-Royce 733 -51/2

AIMBrady Plc 80 +1/2Dawson Intl 13/8Man Brnze 251/2

AUTOMOBILES & PARTSG K N 2073/4 -21/8

BANKSBarclays 2131/2 -91/4HSBC 5271/2 -135/8Lloyds Banking Gp 311/8 -13/8Ryl Scotland 263/4 -1Stan Chart 1543 -45

BEVERAGESDiageo 1418 +61/2SABMiller £241/8

CHEMICALSCroda 1914 -21Elementis 98 1501/4 -3/4Johnsn Mat £201/4 -3/8

CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALSBalfour Beatty 2731/4 -61/8

Costain 1977/8 -17/8

ELECTRICITYDrax Gp 532 +51/2Intl Power 332 +2SSE 1209 -1

ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENTLaird 163 -5

EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTSAlliance Trust 3551/4 -33/4

FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICESBT Grp 2021/2 -1Cable & WirelessComm

407/8 -3/8

Cable & WirelessWwide

207/8 -1/2

Colt Group 90KCOM 71 +11/4Talktalk Telecom 121 -11/8

FOOD & DRUG RETAILERSMorrison W 2883/4 -33/4Sainsbury 2891/4 +3/4Tesco 320 -3/4

FOOD PRODUCERSAB Food 1160 -13Tate Lyle 6601/2 -81/2Unilever £205/8

GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIESCentrica 2911/2 -3/4National Grid 6131/2 +3Pennon Grp 694 +1Severn 1526 -4United Utils 6011/2

GENERAL FINANCIAL3i Group 181 -41/2ICAP 3361/8 -91/2London StockExch 8591/2 -51/2Man Group 1151/4 -31/8Provident Financial 957 +21/2Schroders 1470 -51Schroders NV 1200 -30

GENERAL INDUSTRIALSCooksn Grp 5681/2 -21REXAM 3773/4 -57/8Smiths Grp 952 -21

GENERAL RETAILERSAshley L 211/2 -7/8Carphone Whse 1671/4 -1623/4Dixons Retail 151/4 +1/4Home Retail 987/8 -23/8Inchcape 3361/8 -85/8Kingfisher 2513/4 -4M & S 3231/8 -87/8Mothercare 194 -3Next £261/4 -1/8WH Smith 541 -111/2

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICESSmith Nph 6121/2

HOUSEHOLD GOODSAga Rangemaster 81 -1/2Barrat Dev 1075/8 -23/8Persimmon 515 -3Reckitt Benckiser £335/8 -1/8Taylor Wimpey 413/4 +1/8

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERINGI M I 8351/2 -27

INDUSTRIAL METALSFerrexpo 3353/4 -81/4

INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATIONBBA Aviation 1851/2 -5

LIFE INSURANCEAviva 3423/4 -133/8Lgl & Gen 114 -3Old Mutual 1461/8 -21/2Prudential 6951/2 -20Resolution 2721/8 -21/8Standard Life 2151/8 -4

MEDIABSkyB 6651/2 -111/2D Mail Tst 4311/8 -85/8ITV 75 -2Johnston Press 6Pearson 1155 -15Reed Elsevier 523 -111/2STV Group 911/2Trinity Mirror 461/2 +1/4Utd Business 539 -12UTV 104 -41/2WPP 7371/2 -111/2Yell Group 57/8 -3/8

MININGAnglo American £263/8 -5/8Antofagasta 1306 -42BHP Billiton £211/2 -1/4Eurasian NaturalRes

700 -281/2

Fresnillo 1775 -26Kazakhmys 1137 -23Lonmin 1037 -55Rio Tinto £38 -1/8

VEDANTARESOURCES

1176 -50

Xstrata 10781/2 -251/2MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES

Inmarsat 3981/8 -37/8Vodafone Group 1713/4 -1/2

NONLIFE INSURANCEAdmiral Grp 8941/2 -26RSA Insurance Gp 1051/4 -15/8

OIL & GAS PRODUCERSBG 1404 -261/2BP 4581/2 -61/8Cairn Energy 280 -21/4Royal Dutch Shell A £221/4 -1/4Royal Dutch Shell B £23 -1/8

Total £331/4 -1/4Tullow Oil 1341 -28

OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICESAMEC 1002 -21Petrofac 1429 -12Wood Gp(J) 647 -6

PERSONAL GOODSBurberry Gp 1326 -29

PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGYAstrazeneca £301/2 +1/4GlaxoSmithK 7Shire £211/8 -1/4

REAL ESTATEBrit Land 4895/8 -85/8Captl Shop Cent 3281/8 -41/2Hamrsn 3813/4 -71/4Land Secs 6811/2 -12SEGRO 2207/8 -33/8

SOFTWARE ETC SERVICESInvensys 199 -4Logica 761/4 -31/8Misys 320 -63/4Sage Group 2901/4 -41/4

SUPPORT SERVICESBerendsen 4563/4 -53/4Bunzl 8511/2 -41/2Capita 6241/2 -8De La Rue 940 -271/2Electrocomp 2083/4 -71/4Experian 8581/2 -161/2G4S 269 -21/8Hays 72 -1/2Homeserve 2861/4 -83/8

Menzies J 5611/2 +61/2Rentokil 733/4 -11/4Smiths News 943/4 +23/4Wolseley £22 -1/8

IT HARDWAREARM Hldgs 5971/2 +11/2Psion 421/4 -25/8Spirent Comms 120 -1/4

TOBACCOBr Am Tob £295/8 +1/8Imperial Tobacco £223/4 -1/4

LEISURE & HOTELSBwin.Party Digital 1567/8 -11/4Carnival 1910 -10Compass Grp 5891/2 -21/2easyJet 4471/4 -43/4Enterprise Inns 351/2 -1/2FirstGroup 3073/4 -21/4Go-Ahead Gp 1247 -4Greene King 4931/4 -4Intercontl Htls 1295 -26Intl Cons AirlinesGp

1777/8 -3/4

Ladbrokes 139 -17/8Mitchells & Butlers 2561/2 -61/4Natl Express 2083/8 -73/8Rank Org 1311/8 +41/8Stagecoach Group 2757/8 -61/8TUI Travel 189 -31/4Whitbread 1644 -46

INDEXFTSE 100 5671.09 -62.36

INDEXFTSE 250 10694.17 -160.55

Carclo 325 +8Marshalls 941/4 -2National Grid 6131/2 +3Weir Gp 1944 -26

RYANAIR’S profit hopes continued toclimb after mild weather in Decemberhelped the airline deliver a 13% rise inquarterly revenues.

With fewer planes in operation overthe winter, longer routes and increasingticket prices across the industry,Ryanair said its average fare was up by17% – a figure which includes theimpact of passenger luggage fees.

The Dublin-based operator reportedbetter-than-expected profits of £12.6mfor the three months to December 31and said the figure for the year toMarch 31 should now hit £403.2m.

That is better than the £369.6m pre-dicted in November – which itself rep-resented a £33.6m upgrade on itsprevious estimate.

The quarterly improvement, whichcompares with widespread snow clos-ures at airports during the previousDecember, came despite an 18% rise in

fuel costs, which Ryanair said it offsetby “aggressively” controlling costs.

However, the company is braced forits fuel bill in the next financial year toincrease by a further £294m, which itwarns will pose a “significant” costchallenge.

It has paid for 90% of its fuel in thefirst half of the year at about 99 USdollars a barrel and at 100 US dollarsfor 70% of the second half.

The airline carried 17m passengers inthe quarter to December 31, a fall of2%. But revenues were up by 13% to£626.6m.

The profits figure compared with aloss of £8.4m a year earlier.

The company has pulled 80 of itsaircraft to reduce winter losses amidthe soaring fuel prices and cut traffic by2% over the quarter.

James Cooke, an analyst at PanmureGordon stockbrokers, expects further

profits growth after these latest figurescame in ahead of expectations.

He added: “Despite the tough mar-ket conditions, we expect average faresto rise strongly in the coming years,driven by a deceleration – and eventualstandstill – in capacity growth andhigher competitor fares.”

Ryanair is to open five new bases inMarch and April at Baden Baden inGermany, Billund in Denmark, Palmain Spain, Paphos in Cyprus and Wro-claw in Poland.

At least one more new base will beannounced for the summer.

Earlier this month, the carrier wel-comed its four millionth passenger atLeeds-Bradford Airport and unveiled anew route from the airport to Reus inSpain. The new service, which willoperate twice weekly from March 30.

Commenting on its latest figures,Ryanair said: “The EU recession,higher oil prices, the unfolding failureof the package tour operator model,significant competitor fare increasesand capacity cuts, has created enorm-ous growth opportunities for Ryanair,as large and smaller airports acrossEurope compete aggressively to winRyanair’s growth.”

MECCA bingo owner Rank has con-firmed it is in talks with Gala Coralover a deal to buy more casinos.

Rank’s Grosvenor div is ionalready has 35 casinos, includingone at Folly Hall in Huddersfield, buthopes to add the 24 outlets ownedby debt-laden rival Gala Coral.

Such a deal would make Rank thebiggest firm in the sector, overtakingMalaysia’s Genting. A deal could beworth £250m.

Rank said no terms have beenfinalised and there was no certaintyit will take place.

An acquisition would accelerateRank’s plans to have 45 Grosvenoroutlets by the end of 2015 through

the faster roll-out of its G-Casinoformat, which attracts a younger,less formal crowd.

The business, which employsmore than 3,000 people, has all butfour of its casinos outside London.

A sale of the casinos would allowGala Coral to focus on its Gala bingoand Coral bookmaking divisions, aswell as strengthen its finances in theface of a net debt figure of £1.3bn atthe end of 2011.

The firm has been seen as ripe fora break-up since a big debt restruc-turing in 2010 saw many lenders leftwith shares in the company, fuellingspeculation about a deal withRank.

Rank confirms talks with Mecca

Profits set to soarfor low-cost airline

■ ON COURSE: Mild winter weatherhelped Irish career Ryanair postbetter-than-expected profits

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS profile Page 3

ClaireStephenson

WoodspeenA&R Training

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Role: Group head ofbusiness developmentand marketingAge: 35Family: Married toJay with Jessica, 14,and Liam, 12Holidays: My favour-ite place is Mexico,where we got married.We also love TurkeyCar: AudiFirst job: YTStrainee doing businessadministrationBest thing aboutjob: The people in thebusiness and thepeople who comethrough the door.Worst thing aboutjob: The current eco-nomic environment –when we are askingpeople to spendmoney and invest intrainingBusiness tip: Takehold of opportunitieswhen they presentthemselves

Work: Training pro-viderSite: HuddersfieldPhone: 01484429359Email: [email protected]: www.woodspeen training.co.uk

Careerchangeis justthe job

THE working day starts earlyfor Claire Stephenson.

Claire faces a dailycommute from home inNewcastle to her desk at theoffices of Woodspeen A&RTraining in John WilliamStreet, Huddersfield – around trip of some 232 miles.

As head of businessdevelopment and marketingfor the Woodspeen group,she also regularly visits itsfour other companies across11 training centres inlocations as far afield asBradford, Northampton andBrighton and Bournemouthon the south coast.

Often she travels by car,but frequently uses the trainand plane to get about. “Ilisten to audio books whiledriving,” she says. “I couldprobably learn about half adozen languages the amountof time I spend in the car!

“I leave home for work atabout 7am and I get homeno earlier than 8pm.

“My spare time is spentwith the family. We have twoteenagers who like to dotheir own thing. Jay, myhusband and I like to takethe dog for a walk, go to thepub or the pictures.”

Claire admits: “I am a bitof a workaholic. I generallydon’t have a day off – to myhusband’s despair. But Ihave a fantastic supportivefamily.

“I love my job and theopportunity it gives me tomake a huge difference topeople who don’t necessarilyhave those opportunities.

“I also have a fantasticteam at work. They are verysupportive and have awealth of knowledge of theindustry.”

“Travelling adds four hoursto my working day – whereasmy previous job was 10minutes’ up the road fromhome.”

Claire, who was part of anarmy family, hails from thenorth-west and attendedboarding school inManchester before growingup in Cheshire andGermany.

While her son Liam iskeen to pursue a career inthe armed forces, Clairesays she had no ambitionsto join the military, adding: “Idon’t like being told what todo!”

She trained in nursing andworked as a mental healthsubstance abuse nurse forseveral years before a switchof careers into sales andrecruitment and then a moveinto the training sector.

She says: “I was workingas a temp for one agencyand I was asked to man oneof their desks in theirrecruitment office inNewcastle.

“It provided me with somenew skills. Everyone alwayssays I never shut up – andthat’s what makes me a verygood sales person!

“I took a leap and went towork for this recruitmentagency. I was asked tosupport a new business justas the recession hit, whichput it into substantialdifficulty.

“We changed direction andlooked at the business plan.We were given a localauthority contract to delivertwo courses to unemployedpeople. That grew into a

substantial contract andwithin a year the businesswas running contracts worth£600,000.”

Says Claire: “I made lotsof contacts and it wasthrough those contacts that Imet my last employer. I wasthere for 18 months whenthe opportunity came up tojoin Woodspeen.”

She took up her currentpost in October last year asWoodspeen embarked on amajor rebrand to bring astronger connection betweenthe group.

She is based atWoodspeen A&R Training’soffices at Lion Chambers.Woodspeen acquired A&Rabout three years ago. Thecompany is part of manynetworks including WestYorkshire LearningPartnership (WYLP) and is amember of both the MidYorkshire Chamber ofCommerce and the BradfordChamber.

“We had five individualcompanies and fiveindividual core values,” saysClaire. “We have tried tobring these together indiscussion witrh ourworkforce. The new brand –with the idea of beingpersonal, passionate and

professional – will be rolledout over the next fewmonths.

“We have gone back toscratch, as if the businesshas just been launched. It isabout raising our profile inthe market place and beingseen as a national providerappealing to nationalemployers whileincorporating the localstrengths of the individualcompanies.”

As part of next week’sNational ApprenticeshipWeek, Woodspeen is alsopromoting the advantages ofwork-based learning – notonly for 16 to 18-year-olds,but also for older workersand jobseekers.

Claire believes the natureof modern apprenticeships isstill misunderstood by someemployers, job hunters andparents.

“People thinkapprenticeships are onlyabout engineering orconstruction,” she says.

“But we deliverwork-based learning andskills in 15 vocational areasacross our 11 centres withmore than 50 courses.

“Nationally, there arecurrently 300-plusapprenticeship areas on themarket.”

Woodspeen offersapprenticeships in areasincluding contract centreoperations, retail, teamleading, warehouse andstorage, management, IT,care, childcare, business andadministration, hairdressing

Claire believes thatapprenticeships are key togetting people into work,giving them training andproviding opportunities foradvancement at a time whenyouth unemployment is risingand tuition fees put auniversity place outside thefinancial reach of manyfamilies.

“Apprenticeships givepeople the chance to earnwhile they learn,” she says.“They are in employment

and they have a job from dayone. They are given thenecessary skills.

“It is not about cheaplabour. Some employers maytry to exploit it, but in reality,apprentices provide value toa business and theindividual.

“An apprentice is avaluable member of theteam and represents aninvestment in the future.”

Claire sees the role ofWoodspeen A&R Training asmaking people “work-ready”with the skills employersneed – such as literacy andnumeracy skills, adding: “Wehave some fantastic youngpeople out there who havenot been given theopportunity when they needit.

“We are raising awarenessof Apprenticeships duringNational ApprenticeshipsWeek with open days andworkshops.”

Claire admits to being “an

ambitious individual” but isjust as ambitious for thesuccess of the companies inthe Woodspeen group – andthe individuals they seek tohelp.

“As an individual, you haveto see the opportunities andtake the opportunitiesbecause those opportunitiesdon’t come along every day,”she says. “Make the most ofthem when they do.”

As an individual preparedto travel to do the job sheloves, Claire says: “Somepeople don’t even want totravel from Halifax toHuddersfield as they see thisas a barrier or too costly – sowe help remove thosebarriers where we can .

“How many people get thejob they want in the area inwhich they live? You have tohave an open mind whendeciding what you want todo.”

■ TRAINING DAY: ClaireStephenson, group head ofbusiness development andmarketing for Woodspeen

On the board with

01484 538 [email protected]@RevellWard

www.revellward.co.uk

Town’s TandemettesKaren Borowski and Jennifer Davies

are proud to be part of theTown’s Tandemettes.

The Tandemettes are taking part in Pedal 4Pounds 3 in aid of the‘Keep it Up’ campaign.

These inspirational ladies will ride the 280miles from Yeovil to the Galpharm

Stadium on TANDEMS!This is to help raise even more money for the

Yorkshire Air Ambulance and theHuddersfield Town Academy.

If you spot them training around townplease tweet them on

@townstandemettesPlease sponsor them at

www.justgiving.com/townstandemettesor text

PAIN50 to 70070

Town’s TandemettesThank you

KIRKLEES BUSINESSlocal

BANKER’SBLOGJill Hague

Jill Hague is HSBC area commercial directorfor Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield

Airline unveilsnew flight planREGIONAL airline Flybe willoperate a service three times aweek between Leeds BradfordAirport and Knock on Ireland’swest coast.Flybe, which is Europe’s largestregional airline and the UK’snumber one domestic carrier, willlaunch the service from March 25.The service further expands theairline’s summer schedule fromLeeds Bradford airport to a total offive routes with a choice of up to 88flights a week. Flights will operateon Tuesdays, Thursdays andSundays.The additional route is expected tobenefit both business and leisurepassengers.

New contractsDENBY DALE ice cream firm YummyYorkshire has landed deals to supply theNational Coal Mining Museum; the LocalPantry at Pool-in-Wharfedale; CloughHouse, near Huddersfield; The Dog &Partridge Country Inn and BeatsonHouse Restaurant, both near Barnsley.

Britannia sealsBrightside dealA ROADSIDE rescue companybased in Huddersfield has landed amajor contract.Britannia Rescue,which has itsheadquarters at Folly Hall Mills,has secured a deal with theBrightside Group plc to providebreakdown cover to 90,000 motorinsurance customers within itsbroker division.The win sees Britannia Rescue takon about 90,000 existing Brightsidecustomers over the 12 monthsstarting tomorrow. The portfolioincludes motorbikes and cars, aswell as commercial fleet businessBritannia Rescue has more than200 people based at its Folly HallMills premises. The company hasseen significant growth in the pastyear – and this new contract willresult in further recruitment overthe coming 12 months.As well as recruiting new staff tohandle breakdown calls for thiscontract win, the company isrecruiting people to deal withcustomers reporting car insuranceclaims for parent company LV=Britannia Rescue was awarded thecontract after a review of theincumbent and a competitive pitcThe company is recognised as thefourth-largest road rescuecompany in the UK and operates anetwork of more than 3,000 UKroadside technicians – enabling thecompany to offer unique localknowledge and experience tocustomers that have broken down.It also covers the whole of EuropeCustomers have an average wait ofless than 42 minutes and thecompany receives over 98%customer satisfaction.Peter Horton, Britannia Rescuemanaging director, said:“Huddersfield is the home ofBritannia Rescue and we aredelighted about this new win.“A key element of our five-yearstrategy is to grow our partnerportfolio, so this win is fantasticnews and means more jobs forlocal people. We see 2012 as a yearof growth for Britannia Rescue andare currently in discussion with anumber of other potentialpartners.”

Keep an eye onChina’s currency

Safety callKIRKLEES companies putting safety first have beenurged to enter a major award.

The British Safety Council is inviting applications for theInternational Safety Awards 2012 – which recognises thecommitment of organisations in all sectors and across theglobe to good health and safety management.

The awards are open to all organisations – bothmembers and non-members of the British Safety Council– with the winners earning a pass, merit or distinction.

Last year, there were 602 applications – 90% of whichwere successful. Some 33 organisations gained adistinction – from sectors including construction,education, energy generation and transmission, facilitiesmanagement, food and drink, manufacturing, oil and gas,public services, transport and distribution and utilities.

For details of the awards, go to www.britsafe.org/isaThe closing date for applications is February 29.The results will be formally announced on March 23

and the winners will be invited to attend as awardsbanquet on May 18 at the Grosvenor House in London.

BRITAIN has recently said itwill partner with Hong

Kong to develop the City ofLondon as a major offshorecentre of trade in China’syuan (Renminbi) currency.

This deal sees Britain and HongKong agreeing to launch a jointprivate sector forum to enhancecooperation and support China’sefforts to develop the offshoremarket for the renminbi (RMB).

China's economy continues toexpand rapidly and, along with it,commercial ties with the UK andopportunities for Kirklees busi-nesses. Exports of goods from Bri-tain to China leapt 20% in 2010, ameasure of the importance of Asiato Britain’s long-term economicgrowth.

HSBC expects this growth togenerate further significant oppor-tunities for businesses looking todevelop their products and ser-vices in new markets.

Recent deregulation has furtheropened the Chinese market toenable an increasing number ofChinese trade partners to receivecross-border payments in theirlocal RMB currency, in addition

change RMB back into US dollarsor euros to hold it outside China.The deregulation of RMB meanscompanies can hold the proceedsof trade settlements in RMB. Anatural currency hedge will beachieved for businesses who haveexisting receivables or paymentsalready in RMB.

Those businesses seeking tobecome RMB-enabled first needto check their internal accountingsystems can cope.

Businesses should also checktheir bank has the capability tohandle RMB transactions – manydon’t as yet.

As RMB becomes more com-monplace in the future, businesseswhich have RMB capabilities mayfind they can negotiate improvedtrading terms with Chinese suppli-ers and purchasers.

While the internationalisationof RMB has begun, the currency isnot yet fully convertible and busi-nesses need to observe the existingregulatory guidelines set out bythe Chinese government.

HSBC relationship managersare well placed to help businesseskeep pace with the fast movingchanges.

Businesses trading in foreigncurrencies always need to be mind-ful of foreign exchange risk.

to their capacity to make crossborder RMB payments.

Last year, HSBC launched aservice enabling UK businesses toopen a UK-domiciled RMBaccount which can then be used totrade with and make payments tomainland China in the country’sown currency.

Therefore, commercial con-tracts can now be agreed in RMB,allowing Chinese suppliers toinvoice and receive settlementfrom UK buyers in local currency,enabling them to avoid foreignexchange risks and costs.

Why is RMB growing in import-ance?

China is the world’s secondlargest economy, the largestexporter and the fifth-largestsource of foreign direct invest-ments (expected annual growth of40-50%). HSBC believes that

RMB will become atop three interna-tional currency if itbecomes fully con-vertible.

So what does thismean for businessesin Kirklees?

Previously, RMBwas a restricted cur-rency that could notbe taken out ofChina , meaningcompanies had to

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS local

Neil Wilson is an employment lawyer at ChadwickLawrence Solicitors

EMPLOYER’SBRIEFNeil Wilson

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The 18-year-old is undertakingthe enterprise development degreecourse at Huddersfield University –and has already launched a rangeof enterprises.

When he was just 16,Zimbabwe-born Blessing spotted agap in the market and set up theEssential Cleaning Company, basedin Leeds.

He eventually sold the business,but soon found new outlets for hisenergies, including a companynamed Bright Futures Enterprise,which seeks to encourageentrepreneurship amongyoungsters.

Now Blessing, who arrived in theUK in 2006 to join members of hisfamily, has become involved withthe Leeds group of a go-aheadventure named Not Just A TradingCompany.

The business, which fullylaunches this month, sells productsincluding rice, coffee, chocolate andtea and operates on Fair Trade

principles – pledging to pay aproper price to its food suppliersabroad and in the UK.

Despite having a number ofenterprises under his belt, Blessing

says he is still learning.“I work hard and like to get

involved with new things all thetime,” he said. “Fortunately, I onlyneed four hours’ sleep a night!”

■ ENTERPRISING: Huddersfield University student Blessing Maregerehas already launched a range of enterprises

Get the messageabout social mediaCOMPANIES musthave proper policies inplace to deal withemployees misusingsocial media, a humanresources consultanthas warned.Helen Casson(pictured), ofSkelmanthorpe-basedVibrant HR, said:“With employeesincreasingly usingsocial media accountssuch as Facebook and Twitter to let offsteam about their jobs, a number of tribunalcases involving social media provide usefulguidance for employers wanting to protecttheir business from damaging statements onsocial media sites – and what to do if it doeshappen.“The key message coming from theemployment tribunal decisions is to haveadequate policies in place and conduct athorough investigation.”Helen said firms should have acomprehensive social media policy in placemaking it clear that derogatory commentsmade about the business, product orservices and customers on social networksare strictly prohibited.They should also make it clear that a breachof the policy could result in disciplinaryaction, up to and including dismissal.Employers should make sure all staff knowabout the policy and understand thecontents. Bosses should also update theinduction process so new employees receivethe same information.

Pay attentionto key reformsTHE Government’s review of exist-

ing employment law legislationand the launch of its “red tape chal-lenge” has resulted in a number ofchanges aimed at assisting busi-nesses and boosting economicrecovery.

In this article, we summarise some of themain changes and what they will mean inpractice for businesses.

The most significant development isthat the unfair dismissal qualifying periodfor unfair dismissal will increase from oneto two years.

The change will take effect from April 6,2012, and we have now been informed thatthe new qualifying period will only applyto employees whose employment beginson or after April 6, 2012. Those employeesalready in employment before that datewill retain the current one year qualifyingperiod.

There has been a recent increase inemployment tribunal awards and fromtomorrow onwards the maximum limit ona week’s pay has increased from £400 to£430.

The maximum unfair dismissal com-pensatory award is now £72,300 for dis-missals taking effect on or after February1.

In April, 2012, the standard rates forstatutory maternity pay, statutory patern-ity pay and statutory adoption pay will riseto £135 from £128.73. The weekly earningsthreshold increases from £102 to £170Statutory sick pay will also increase fromApril, 2012, from £81.60 to £85.85.

In October, 2012, new laws taking effectwill require all employers to automaticallyenrol eligible employees into a pensionscheme.

Initially, the scheme will only apply tothe largest employers and the full imple-mentation period will last for four years.

In addition to the changes already con-firmed, the Government is continuingconsultation in a number of other areas.

The conciliatory service ACAS maybecome more heavily involved in employ-ment disputes.

Potential claimants will be required tosubmit details of their dispute to ACASand pre-claim conciliation will be offeredfor one month.

This will effectively “stop the clock” onany limitation period, but it is not expectedthat this service will be introduced until atleast April, 2014.

There is a long-term reform programmebeing undertaken by the Governmentlooking at increased use of mediation toresolve disputes.

This will involve working more closely

interesting to see howmany of the above pro-posals are implemen-ted in the comingmonths and years.

with the private sector to share knowledgeof mediation with smaller businesses.

It is proposed that financial penaltieswill be introduced for employers who loseat tribunal up to a maximum of £5,000.This will be applied at the tribunal’sdiscretion and the penalty will be reducedby 50% if paid within 21 days.

Fee charging structures may be broughtin for the first time at different stages ofemployment tribunal claims.

The consultation into this matter waspublished on December 14, 2011, withoption one proposing an issue fee and ahearing fee depending on the nature of theclaim. Option two proposes only an issuefee.

It is suggested that such proposalscould be implemented in 2013 or 2014.

The red tape challenge has alreadybrought about some change and it will be

property KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWSKIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Picture brightensfor industrial sitesFEWER properties coming onto themarket and a steady take-up of spaceshould help paint a more positivepicture for Yorkshire’s industrial andlogistics property market, claims areport.

Toby Vernon, senior director ofindustrial agency at property firmCBRE, said: “2006 and 2007 saw amajor increase in the supply of newbuild, speculatively-built, large-scalelogistics schemes.

“This coincided with a significantcontraction in occupier demand asthe recession bit and the Yorkshireregion, like most across the UK, wasfaced with an over-supply of indus-trial stock.

“Throughout 2008 and 2009, themarket was sluggish, but demand hasreturned to form with a substantialamount of building take-up over thelast two years.

“With no speculative developmenttaking place during this time, supplylevels began to diminish and we arenow in a much stronger position withthe market imbalance correcting

itself.”CBRE’s research shows that the

take-up of logistics buildings over100,000sq ft fell back last year in linewith UK-wide statistics to just under800,000sq ft. That compares withtake-up of more than 4m sq ft in2010.

While the 2011 take-up was below

average, the lack of speculative devel-opment resulted in a total supply forthe region now standing at about4.04m sq ft.

This still represents a significantamount of space, but when takinginto account the five-year averageannual take-up of 3.03m sq ft, thismeans that current availability ofexisting buildings represents only 16months of supply.

Said Mr Vernon: “Of the five-yeartake-up figures, 75% of stock was newbuild or good quality modern. Thistenant drive for quality bodes well forthe remaining available stock in theYorkshire market and will eventuallydictate a requirement for pre-let leddevelopment in core areas.”

He said demand had been drivenby factors including opportunisticretailers seeking to take advantage ofmarket conditions and the continueddrive for economies of scale by con-solidating supply chains into a smal-ler number of strategically located,larger footprint buildings.

The growth in online retailing had

a big impact on the logistics sectorand continued to be one of the majordrivers for warehouse demand.Examples included Amazon’s acquis-ition of 415,000sq ft at Vulcan inDoncaster and ASOS taking530,000sq ft at Crossflow in Barns-ley.

The current economic climate hadalso created an opportunity forgrowth of budget retailing which, inturn, has also resulted in new demandfor logistics space.

“Looking ahead, we expect thatthe steady levels of take-up will con-tinue and that we will see an increasein demand from other UK regionswhere building supply is far morelimited,” said Mr Vernon.

“We expect the online retailers andmajor high street chains will continueto be the main drivers for logisticsdemand.

“As supply levels reduce further,rental levels will harden and the pro-spects for pre-let led development willbegin to improve.”

■ DRIVE: Toby Vernon, seniordirector at CBRE

Plea to putpriority onconstructionTHE Government mustmake construction apriority, says the Federationof Master Builders.The FMB was commentingafter figures from the Officefor National Statisticsshowed that constructionand manufacturing haddragged the economy backinto negative growth.FMB director Brian Berrysaid workloads in the SMEconstruction sector haddeclined in each of the 16quarters to the end of 2011while confidence in thebuilding industry hascollapsed with only 5% ofsmall building firmsexpecting workloads toincrease in 2012.He said construction wasessential to the health ofthe UK economy, adding:“The industry needs theGovernment to adopt a boldapproach to reducing theburdens upon it – pursuingthe proposed planningreforms and reducing theoverall burden of developercontributions, which arestill making many sitesunviable, are urgentlyneeded.”

LAND

OFFICES

INDUSTRIAL

INVESTMENT

RETAIL

T. 01484 530361 www.bramleys.com

4 RANGE LANEHalifax, HX3 6DLFORMER HOSTEL PREMISES395m2 (4,250ft2)Site Area 0.13 Hectares (0.33 Acres)■ Vacant possession■ Suitable for refurbishment foralternative occupational residentialuses or possible completeredevelopment, subject toplanning consent












■ industrial

■ offices

■ retail

■ investment

■ land

LOCKWOOD ROAD,HUDDERSFIELD,

HD1 3TG£520,000

● Rental Income £56,715pa, ERV £73,215 pa

● Busy main road location

(A616)

● 1 Mile from Huddersfield town

centre

● Development potential

multi-let investment

7-9 CROSS CHURCHSTREET,

HUDDERSFIELD,HD1 2PY

£25,000 p/a● Double fronted retail

unit 922 sqft

● Ancillary accommodation

3,022 sqft

● Finished to a high quality

● Excellent display frontage

town centre retail

THISTLE STREET,HUDDERSFIELD,

HD1 6PU£23,000 p/a

● 233.18sqm (2,510sqft)● Close to Huddersfield town

centre

● Secure car parking for 20

cars

● High quality accommodation

● Predominantly open plan

office building

Unit 1, Standard House,Half Moon Street,

Huddersfield,HD1 2JF£7,000 p/a

● 39.02sqm (420sqft)

● Close to bus station and

railway station

● Excellent display frontage

● Close to Sainsburys

supermarket

town centre retail

Industrial Units, WhitacreStreet, Off Leeds Road,

Huddersfield,£10,000 p/a

● 183.34m² (1,973ft²)

● Popular Leeds Road Corridor

location

● Close to M62 Motorway and

town centre

● Good loading and yard space

modern industrial

JOHN STREET,ELLAND,HX5 0AW£115,000

● 72.87 sqm [784 sqft]

● Excellent car parking

● Freehold

● Vacant Possession

office building

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Office scheme shinesthrough for LighthouseA PROPERTY agency withoffices in Huddersfield hasbeen appointed sole agent fora new office development inWest Yorkshire.

Building work is under wayon a new 15,000sq ftextension at the Bradfordheadquarters of Christianeducation charity, TheLighthouse Group.

The charity, which workswith disadvantaged youngpeople, attracted £1.2m offunding from the BradfordLocal Enterprise GrowthInitiative and the EuropeanRegional Development Fundto finance the project.

Eddisons, which acted asletting agent for the originalbuilding, is now sole agent onthe three-storey extension,which will provide Grade Aoffice space at the site onTrevor Foster Way.

Jonathan O’ Connor, ofEddisons, said: “We aredelighted to extend ourinvolvement with the sitewhich benefits from good roadlinks and includes managedreception facilities, meetingrooms and an on site café.

“The small suites andflexible terms make this facility

attractive to a range ofbusinesses, particularly thosein the creative and digitalsector, looking to grow anddevelop in a thriving enterpriseenvironment.”

The original building, just offthe M606, was completed in2008 and is known as the

Centre of Excellence.As well as providing a base

for TLG, it has nine tenants,including Costa Coffee andSwedish bankHandelsbanken.

The new building is set tobe ready for occupation afterEaster.

■ SITE LINE: Jonathan O'Connor (left), associate director forEddisons, with Tom Almas (centre) and David Horsfall, of TheLighthouse Group, at the building site

VAT cut call tobeat ‘cowboys’A BUILDING industry chiefhas called on the governmentto cut VAT for home repair,maintenance and improve-ment work – and counter thed a m a g i n g e f f e c t o fcash-in-hand cowboy operat-ors.

Brian Berry, a director ofthe Federation of MasterBuilders, made the plea afterthe country’s most senior tax-man criticised people who paybuilders cash for work on theirproperties.

Dave Hartnett, permanentsecretary for tax at HM Rev-enue & Customs, said byavoiding paying VAT, theywere reducing the tax take andhitting public spending onareas like schools and hospit-als.

Mr Berry said: “We arepleased HMRC is becomingmore vocal about the dam-aging effect cash-in-hand pay-ments have on individualbusinesses and the economy atlarge.

“Businesses that avoid pay-ing VAT have a 20% headstart, but all too often thischeap deal comes without aproper written contract or anykind of paperwork meaningthe enforcement of consumer

rights is almost impossible ifsomething goes wrong.”

Said Mr Berry: “The Gov-ernment can reduce the com-petitive advantage of theserogue traders and help protectconsumers by cutting VAT to5% for all home repair, main-tenance and improvementwork.

“This simple, single actionwould help reduce the size ofthe ‘informal economy’ in thehome improvement market,which is now estimated to beworth an astonishing £9.3bnyear.”

He added: “Over 5,000 con-struction businesses have goneinto insolvency since 2010. Ata time when the economy is onthe brink of tipping back intorecession, the Governmentshould be doing everything itcan to support legitimate busi-nesses, not adding to the totalnumber of unemployed.

“According to research bythe analysts at Experian, lastyear’s rise in the standard rateof VAT to 20% resulted innearly 4,000 job losses in thehome improvement market in2011 alone.”

■ CASH CALL: Dave Hartnett, permanent secretary for taxat HM Revenue & Customs

TO LETWorkshop/WarehouseUnitPart Hope Bank Works, Honley, Holmfirth,HD9 6QA1 829.71m2 (8,931 sq ft)1 Suitable for a variety of alternative uses (STPC)1Generous car parking provisionRent: On Application

TO LETModern Workshop UnitUnit B, Brockholes Business Park,Rock Mill Road, Huddersfield, HD9 7BN1 307m2 (3,308 sq ft)1 Prominent location1 Frontage to the A616 New Mill RoadRent: £5.25 per sq ft per annum exclusive

FOR SALEDevelopment LandLand at Calder Street/River Street,Brighouse, HD6 1NB1 South Site, River Street 0.22 Hectares

(0.54 Acres)Offers are invited in the region of £150,000

TO LETCharacter Town CentreOffices10 New North Parade, Huddersfield,HD1 5JP1Attractive character town centre offices1 66.1m2 (712 sq ft)1Newly refurbishedRent: On Application

TO LETProminent Town CentreOffice8 Victoria Road, Elland1 102.49m2 (1,103 sq ft)1 100% Business Rates Relief current year1 Private car parkingRental: £6,000 pax

TO LETUnit 3, RawfoldsIndustrial EstateBradford Road, Cleckheaton1Modern trade counter1 163.46m2 (1,760 sq ft)Rent: On Application

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Movers and shakers

Giles Clegg

IoDCORPORATE lawyer GilesClegg has been appointeddeputy chairman for theWest Yorkshire branch ofthe Institute of Directors.

Mr Clegg (pictured), adirector with LuptonFawcett since 2007 whospecialises in mergers andacquisitions, managementbuy-outs, shareholderdisputes, joint ventures groupre-organisations and limited liabilitypartnerships, will support Charlotte Britton,who chairs the branch.

Since joining the branch committee, he hasworked on projects including the organisationof the recent Parliamentary Panel, which sawopposing MPs come together to discuss theirrespective parties’ views on how best to helpbusiness in the region.

Jon Lowe

BarclaysCorporateBARCLAYS Corporate has strengthened itscharity support in Yorkshire with theappointment of a relationship directorresponsible for providing specialist supportin the region.

Jon Lowe, who already has responsibilityfor Barclays Corporate’s relationships withthe business services sector, will join anationwide team of 40 specialists providinglocal-level support to the voluntary sector.

The move is a direct response to theproblems facing third sector organisations,which include declining Government grantsand increasing pressure on donations.

Helen Lees

ApplebysSolicitorsLAW firm ApplebysSolicitors hasannounced a newappointment.

The firm, whichhas offices inHuddersfield andBradford, haswelcomedprofessionalnegligence solicitor Helen Lees.

Ms Lees (pictured), who lives inOldham, will head the firm’sprofessional negligence departmentwhich deals with claims where aperson has been the victim of anegligent level of service from aprofessional adviser. This can includesolicitors, barristers, financial advisors,accountants, architects, surveyors,estate agents, bankers etc.

Ms Lees, who will be based at theoffices in Westbourne Road, Marsh,read law with psychology at theUniversity of Central Lancashire andstudied the legal practice course atManchester Metropolitan University.

Kate Briggs

Buy It DirectFORMER Sainsbury’s and Asda buyer KateBriggs has joined growingHuddersfield-based online retailer Buy ItDirect as nursery category manager at itsBambino Direct arm.

Ms Briggs, pictured with managing directorNick Glynne, has joined Buy It Direct, basedat Trident Business Park, Deighton, fromSainsbury’s, where she was senior buyer fortoys and nursery. She previously worked forAsda in the toys category.

She said: “Bambino Direct has massivepotential and I’m looking forward to growingthe business.”

Mr Glynne said: “Kate brings a wealth ofexperience and knowledge from yearsworking with some of the biggest brands inthe country.

“We have huge ambitions for the companyand I believe Kate will help us become one ofthe largest independent nursery retailers inthe UK.”

Jo goes by the book!A FASHIONABLELondon club is thevenue for an event tocelebrate the latestliterary achievementsof a Huddersfieldbusinesswoman.

Denby Dale-basedJo Haigh (pictured) ismarking the launch ofher fourth book onbusiness matters onThursday at thecapital’s privatemembers’ club “eight”.

The book, TheFinancial Times Guideto Finance forNon-financialManagers, transformsseemingly complex financialinformation “into data you feelcomfortable talking about”.

One critic has hailed the book as amust-read for entrepreneurs, saying:“Business owners are brilliant atcoming up with new ideas.

“But they don’t always have thebrains for budgets. This book‘de-jargons complex financialconcepts and is jam-packed withpractical tips.

Jo is a partner at fds Corporate

Finance Servicesand a partner in thefds Group, aspecialist trainingand developmentbusiness.

She has spokenat major businessconferences ontopics as diverse ascorporategovernance andcorporate financealong with issuesaffecting women inbusiness.

An experienceddealmaker, she hasbought and soldover 300 companies

in the last 25 years and has heldmore than 40 non-executive positionsin her career.

Jo’s previous books are TheBusiness Rules, An Entrepreneur’sGuide and Tales from the GlassCeiling – A Survival Guide for Womenin Business.

Tales from the Glass Ceiling,published in 2008, sold out of its firstreprint after five days and was thebest-selling business book of the year– shifting more than 500,000 copies.

Customers getservice pledgeA COMPANY distributing pallets of goodsacross West Yorkshire has made two specialdeliveries.

Netherton-based firm The Pink Link Ltdhas pledged its long-term commitment toproviding excellent customer service with theannouncement of a company mission state-ment – and the presentation of two pinkhampers to the winners of its “pink prizedraw”.

The Pink Link Ltd has developed a com-pany mission statement to reflect its contin-ued focus on providing excellent customerservice:

“Quality is never an accident; it is alwaysthe result of high intention, sincere effort,intelligent direction and skilful execution: itrepresents the wise choice of many alternat-ives.”

The mission statement will be rolled outthroughout the business to ensure a consist-ently high level of service is maintained.

Continuing to focus on its customers, ThePink Link Ltd announced the winners of itsprize draw.

Josie Fennick, of TEV Ltd, and ClaireMarshall, from Leeds-based CB Imports,both received a pink-themed hamper as partof The Pink Link’s continued commitmentto providing an exceptional customer ser-vice.

Vicki Davenport, sales and commercialdirector at The Pink Link Ltd, said: “Wehave developed a company mission state-ment as we saw it as a useful tool whichwould highlight our continued investment inour customers.

“We are delighted to have presented Josieand Claire with their prizes.”

Vicki is a former winner of the corporate

businesswoman of the year title in theForward Ladies Women in BusinessAwards.

The Pink Link is also a major charityfundraiser for causes including Cancer

Research, Yorkshire Air Ambulance,Everyman Campaign, The AnthonyNolan Trust, Kirkwood Hospice, TheLaura Crane Trust; Cash for Kids andBreast Cancer Haven.

■ PASS THE PARCEL: Claire Marshall (left), of CB Imports, with Vicki Davenport,of The Pink Link Ltd

kirklees business news 31/01/12

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