Category Archives: Midlands News

Midlands News, News

Checkprint Employee’s 25 Year Dedication

The dedication of Wayne Carlisle from Checkprint, part of the TALL Group of Companies based in Hinckley, was celebrated this week as he completed 25 years’ service with an astounding ‘no sick days’ for the entire duration!

Wayne joined the company back in 1995 – at a time when John Major was Prime Minister and Oasis was at number one with Wonder Wall. After spending nine years in the army, Wayne has worked his way up from maintenance engineer, to IT Manager and is now IT Director responsible for a team of 20.

Martin Ruda, Managing Director at the TALL Group of Companies, said: “ We value the experience of long-serving employees and know that this, along with their dedication, is the secret to our success. Wayne has been responsible for the delivery of high quality software solutions such as our Checkprint Solution, Bureau Services, and the patented fraud prevention tool ‘UCN Plus’® to our customers. It is a great pleasure to recognise staff for their dedication and I would like to congratulate him for all his hard work over the years. On a personal note, and mindful of Wayne’s services background, if ever one were in the trenches, Wayne is the man you would want next to you.”

Reflecting on the last 25 years, Wayne Carlisle, said: “I take great pride in my work and what I’ve accomplished. One of the highlights of the 25 years was when the company won the Queens Award for Innovation and I got to actually chat with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. I love to be hands-on and explore new challenges. I’ve been fortunate to have travelled the world with my job at Checkprint from France and Germany to Nigeria, Zanzibar and even LA and I’ve never had a day off sick. Long may it continue!”

To learn more about Checkprint, visit www.tallgroup.co.uk

Apprenticeships, Midlands News, News

WMCA funds apprenticeship training to help Birmingham tech company hire new staff

WMCA funds apprenticeship training to help Birmingham tech company hire new staff

Local people are benefiting from new jobs and free apprenticeship training at a Birmingham technology company, thanks to a scheme set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

The Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund, which was set up by the WMCA, covers the costs of training apprentices at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through larger organisations donating their unspent levy.

The WMCA and its partners see a strong and growing digital sector as crucial in the region’s recovery from the Covid-19 shutdown.

Jobs in technology are expected to be in higher demand, with some businesses continuing to recruit during the lockdown.

IT solutions and recruitment company Crimson has partnered with tech apprenticeship provider Digital Native UK to develop an in-house academy to hire and develop staff, who can expect to earn more than £35,000 on completion of their apprenticeship.

The company is currently recruiting eight to ten new apprentices, with all their training paid via the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund.

Candidates who join the academy come from a variety of backgrounds including school leavers, graduates and those looking for a change of career. Apprentices can complete a degree level IT apprenticeship within three years.

In addition to securing vendor qualifications from Microsoft, each apprentice is mentored, equipping them with the soft skills and confidence they need to develop a long-term career.

Crimson, which has grown by nearly 70 per cent in the last three years, has almost 100 employees, including 12 apprentices.

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Training local people in digital skills is crucial in supporting the region’s priorities for our post-Covid economic recovery.

“I’m pleased that we’ve been able to support Crimson’s training academy through the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund and, as a result, the company is recruiting new staff in these difficult times.

“I’d urge any SMEs from across the West Midlands that are planning to take on new apprentices, or want to upskill their existing workforce, to get in touch with us and find out how we can help.”

Rob Mallaband, managing director of Crimson, who completed an apprenticeship himself in the 1980s, said: “Having our apprenticeship training academy funded through the levy transfer scheme means we are establishing a highly skilled team. We are committed to growing a diverse workforce and look for candidates with raw talent, a growth mindset and a desire to solve business problems using technology.

“Our apprentices make a huge contribution to our business. They start gaining experience on real-life projects just one month into the apprenticeship scheme, and half of their time is already chargeable within the first six months.”

Academy apprentice Megan Casey, aged 24, from Alvechurch, said: “Before Crimson, I was working in an office job where there was little talk about my personal development. I knew I was capable of more and I wanted a career.

“Six months into the apprenticeship, I’ve passed two IT exams, presented to two schools, attended a Women in Tech event, built a solution and attended two customer sites, but most importantly made friends for life. The opportunities here are truly endless.”

Crimson has partnered with Birmingham-based Digital Native UK, a specialist technology apprenticeship provider, to design and deliver the training programme.

Martin Stilgoe, commercial director of Digital Native, said “I’m extremely proud of the partnership we have with the WMCA and Crimson. We worked closely with the senior leaders at Crimson to position the apprenticeship programme at the heart of their growth strategy whilst providing exciting, unique career opportunities for people in the region.”

Cllr George Duggins, leader of Coventry City Council and WMCA portfolio holder for productivity and skills, said: “Our digital sector is the ‘golden thread’ across many of our key industries and is also a fast-growing sector in its own right. Technology companies will play an essential role in the region’s recovery from the Covid-19 shutdown, and it’s great to see the WMCA helping Crimson to create new apprenticeships through the levy transfer fund.”

The apprenticeship levy is charged by HM Revenue and Customs on all businesses with a payroll of over £3 million. The levy money is held digitally by the Government, and businesses across the country can utilise the funds by paying for apprenticeship training and assessment costs by bringing in new talent or plugging skills gaps with their staff. After a two-year period, unspent levy contributions are ‘sunset’ and retained by the Government.

The £69m Skills Deal agreed with the Government in summer 2018 – the first of its kind in the country – set up the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund by allowing the WMCA to partner large organisations with local SMEs. This means the large employers donate a portion of their unspent apprenticeship levy funds to the smaller companies, covering 100% of their apprenticeship training and assessment costs.

So far, the scheme has created 704 new apprenticeships at 269 SMEs across the region.

For more information about how the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Fund can help SMEs, visit apprenticeships.

To find out more about becoming an apprentice, visit www.apprenticeships.gov.uk

The WMCA is investing £5m through the ‘Beat the Bots’ digital retraining fund to equip local people with the skills needed to gain new jobs in the digital sector. For more information visit https://beta.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/productivity-and-skills/online-resources/

Appointments, Midlands News, News

SMART Balustrades expands team with new production manager

Staffordshire-based SMART Balustrades has recruited a new production manager to drive and coordinate growth of the manufacturing side of the business.

Tom Dopierala has joined the company, which is part of the Unitech Group, with a wealth of experience in manufacturing and a background as an experienced welder and fabricator.

SMART Balustrades provides a range of bespoke glass and stainless-steel balustrades and glass Juliet balconies, which are manufactured at its Burntwood production facility. The firm has extensive experience in the fit-out sector and works heavily in the hotel and leisure markets.

Due to a continued demand for its specialist products and having previously outsourced a lot of the manufacturing processes, SMART Balustrades now does much of this in-house, and as production manager, Tom will be responsible for leading the manufacturing processes onsite.

David Hough, managing director of SMART Balustrades, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Tom to the SMART Balustrades team. His newly created role as production manager will allow us to bring more manufacturing processes in-house. Being able to take on more of these processes has great benefits to our clients; as we can be more competitive on price and can control quality and lead times.

“Tom has the ideal expertise for this position having previously worked within manufacturing for our sister company Unitech Engineering for nine years, before working for another balustrade company. He came highly recommended and many have spoken of the quality of his workmanship.

“In the short time he’s been with us, his attention to detail and the quality of his work is exceptional. Most importantly he’s a good guy and is a great fit with our team. I’m sure he will have a longstanding and successful career with us.”

On his new role as production manager, Lichfield-based Tom, said: “SMART Balustrades is operating in a large and competitive market and has proven to be a highly professional company with great potential for further expansion, so I’m delighted to have joined the team.

“With over 16 years of experience in engineering, fabrication, welding and machining, the role is ideal for me. My main responsibility is to organise the manufacturing process, whilst ensuring the company provides its customers with the best service, precision and high-quality standards, always on time. I’m relishing this new challenge and the opportunity to make a difference.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the construction industry and some developments currently on pause, much of the SMART Balustrades team are working remotely, with manufacturing staff safely distanced according to government guidelines in the factory.

SMART Balustrades was set up by brothers David and Jonathan Hough and its current commercial portfolio includes luxury hotels, universities, retail and leisure facilities.

Appointments, Manufacturing, Midlands News, News

SMART Balustrades expands team with production manager

Staffordshire-based SMART Balustrades has recruited a new production manager to drive and coordinate growth of the manufacturing side of the business.

Tom Dopierala has joined the company, which is part of the Unitech Group, with a wealth of experience in manufacturing and a background as an experienced welder and fabricator.

SMART Balustrades provides a range of bespoke glass and stainless-steel balustrades and glass Juliet balconies, which are manufactured at its Burntwood production facility. The firm has extensive experience in the fit-out sector and works heavily in the hotel and leisure markets.

Due to a continued demand for its specialist products and having previously outsourced a lot of the manufacturing processes, SMART Balustrades now does much of this in-house, and as production manager, Tom will be responsible for leading the manufacturing processes onsite.

David Hough, managing director of SMART Balustrades, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Tom to the SMART Balustrades team. His newly created role as production manager will allow us to bring more manufacturing processes in-house. Being able to take on more of these processes has great benefits to our clients; as we can be more competitive on price and can control quality and lead times.

“Tom has the ideal expertise for this position having previously worked within manufacturing for our sister company Unitech Engineering for nine years, before working for another balustrade company. He came highly recommended and many have spoken of the quality of his workmanship.

“In the short time he’s been with us, his attention to detail and the quality of his work is exceptional. Most importantly he’s a good guy and is a great fit with our team. I’m sure he will have a longstanding and successful career with us.”

On his new role as production manager, Lichfield-based Tom, said: “SMART Balustrades is operating in a large and competitive market and has proven to be a highly professional company with great potential for further expansion, so I’m delighted to have joined the team.

“With over 16 years of experience in engineering, fabrication, welding and machining, the role is ideal for me. My main responsibility is to organise the manufacturing process, whilst ensuring the company provides its customers with the best service, precision and high-quality standards, always on time. I’m relishing this new challenge and the opportunity to make a difference.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the construction industry and some developments currently on pause, much of the SMART Balustrades team are working remotely, with manufacturing staff safely distanced according to government guidelines in the factory.

SMART Balustrades was set up by brothers David and Jonathan Hough and its current commercial portfolio includes luxury hotels, universities, retail and leisure facilities.

Construction, Midlands News, News

Midlands contractor appointed to Pagabo Major Works Framework

Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed as a partner for the Pagabo Major Works Framework, which is launched on 19 April.

In its second iteration, the Major Works Framework is open to all public and private sector organisations and will see the delivery of projects in sectors such as education, healthcare, government and leisure.

28 contractors have been appointed to the framework to deliver projects starting from £5million across the UK.

G F Tomlinson has been assigned to deliver projects from £5million to £15million across the East and West Midlands and is one of only four SME’s chosen for the framework – as part of Pagabo’s ongoing commitment to supporting SMEs and ensuring access to major projects.

In order to be successful, G F Tomlinson’s bid demonstrated strong finances, relevant experience and echoed Pagabo’s passion for social value, supporting SMEs and innovative technology. Ability to provide value for money for clients through quality, timely and on-budget delivery and solid supply chain management was also assessed and rated at the highest standard.

G F Tomlinson is also partnered with Pagabo through three other frameworks – the National Framework for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, the Dynamic Purchasing System for Small Works and the National Framework for Medium Construction Works.

Most recently, the contractor delivered the £1.2million Thythorn Hill Community and Sports Centre for Oadby and Wigston Borough Council under Pagabo’s Dynamic Purchasing System framework.

Carl Wiltshire, Pagabo Framework Lead at G F Tomlinson said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to the Major Works Framework, our fourth framework agreement with Pagabo and we look forward to working on significant projects in the years to come.

“Now, more than ever, it is important that public sector procurement is efficient in bringing together contractors and clients to deliver projects which provide vital services in the region. Pagabo offer clients EU/UK compliant framework agreements to make public sector procurement quicker, simpler and more effective. With our experienced management team, commitment to high-quality project delivery and provision of social, economic, environmental and sustainable benefits for local communities, we are ideally placed to serve public sector clients across the Midlands region on projects between £5million and £15million.

“G F Tomlinson has delivered in excess of £500million projects through public sector frameworks to date and we embrace the opportunities this provides in leaving a positive legacy in our local communities. We are looking forward to building on these achievements in the East and West Midlands through this framework to increase the community benefits we provide.”

The Pagabo frameworks provide simplicity, transparency, flexibility, support and stability, supporting the public sector to achieve value for money and added social value for local communities.

Simon Toplass, chief executive at Pagabo, said: “We were delighted by the quality of the responses to tender last year, and we’re really excited to see the second iteration of our Major Works framework going live. The first iteration of this framework saw the delivery of £833m worth of construction projects for the public sector in 2019 alone, and to date we have enabled the delivery of more than £2.6 billion of social value through works procured via our frameworks.

“We’ve made it our mission to simplify procurement process with technology and innovation, and we place social value at the heart of everything we do. We truly believe the framework’s success is down to our customer-focused approach – and we’re pleased to see that this is something that G F Tomlinson has recognised and responded to. We’re looking forward to working with the team over the coming years.”

Construction, Midlands News, News, Property

SMART Balustrades launches into residential sector

Staffordshire-based SMART Balustrades has announced that it has expanded its services into the residential sector – following the continued growth of the business, that has to date operated in the commercial market.

The company, which is part of the Unitech Group, has taken this step due to business growth and the increased demand from both private homeowners and commercial house builders.

SMART Balustrades provides a range of bespoke glass and stainless-steel balustrades as well as glass Juliet balconies, which are manufactured at its Burntwood, Staffordshire production facility. The firm has extensive experience in the fit-out sector and works heavily in the hotel and leisure markets.

With housebuilding in the UK currently at a 30-year high*, there is an increasing demand for fit-out work in residential properties, as well as a continued rise in the number of homeowners carrying out extensions and renovations on their properties.

David Hough, managing director of SMART Balustrades, said:

“Our reputation and the demand for our specialist services has enabled our continued growth. Having previously delivered a limited amount of works in the resi sector, we are pleased to officially launch our residential arm. This enables us to offer a more bespoke service which is fit for purpose and we hope to work with busy house builders and private homeowners.

“There has been a significant increase in the number of planning applications submitted in recent years, particularly for home improvements, so offering our services to this sector is a natural step for us.

“We look forward to working with residential clients who can put their trust in our 100 years of combined team experience, designing, manufacturing and installing high quality and compliant handrail and balustrade systems.”

To support its continued growth, SMART Balustrades is investing in its production team having just taken on Tom Dopierala as production manager based at its Burntwood HQ. The team will be further expanded over the next 12 months, bringing more jobs to the area.

SMART Balustrades was set up by brothers David and Jonathan Hough and its current commercial portfolio includes luxury hotels, universities, retail and leisure facilities.

* https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/nov/14/house-building-in-england-at-30-year-high-government-data-show

Construction, Midlands News, News

Midlands contractor secures place on £500m major higher education framework

Midlands-based G F Tomlinson is celebrating its successful selection as a key contractor on the prestigious University of Birmingham Build Higher framework.

The new £500m 10-year construction framework will focus on improving higher education facilities in the West Midlands, concentrating on the enhancement and development of the University of Birmingham’s own estate as well as procuring capital projects over the next decade. It is also available to other higher education institutions across the UK.

The University of Birmingham has significantly invested in its campuses in the last decade and the framework will enable the delivery of innovative academic spaces to facilitate the Russel Group university’s world leading research, and will support ambitious infrastructure and capital development plans as part of this.

G F Tomlinson has been appointed to deliver projects between £2.5million to £10million and was successfully selected on its ability to demonstrate understanding of the challenges and requirements within the higher education sector, as well as capability of working collaboratively with universities to deliver high quality buildings on time and within budget whilst achieving a high level of social value.

As part of the university’s collaborative strategy to build strong, long-term relationships between key contractors and consultants in the construction, design and surveying industries – all contractors will be encouraged to collaborate and collectively develop opportunities for social value, environmental enhancement and sponsorships, to bring benefits to the higher education sector.

Chris Flint, G F Tomlinson’s framework director, said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our bid for the University of Birmingham’s new framework, which will see us build strong, long-term relationships with the University of Birmingham and its selected contractors and consultants to deliver the University’s ambitious expansion plans for campuses over the next 10 years.

“We have established a reputation for delivering high quality, sustainable projects in the higher education sector, creating environments which nurture academic learning, research and collaboration. This appointment provides further opportunities to build on this with the University and other HE institutions whilst at the same time reinforcing our presence in the West Midlands.”

Head of Procurement Jonathan Jones said: “The University of Birmingham has always prided itself on its scale of ambition to deliver first rate services and resources for its students and staff. With a planned additional infrastructure investment of £500million over the next few years, we also wanted to develop further procurement opportunities by creating our own University construction framework. This framework not only allows the University to optimise its value for money, but is also available for other universities to use and benefit from the collective spending power and contractor relationship development.

“By working closely with our key contractors, we can collectively develop additional opportunities with initiatives such as social value, environmental enhancements and sponsorship opportunities.”

This announcement closely follows another successful appointment for the regional contractor, to a £30billion national central government framework for Crown Commercial Services Construction Works and Associated Services Agreement; a major seven-year framework for public sector construction.

Business Investment, Midlands News

Exclusive British watch brand announces record-breaking funding results

Midlands-based timepiece start-up, Hagley West, has announced the record-breaking results of its latest funding round. In January, the British brand secured more than £360,000 in crowdfunding to realise its ambitions of taking effortless style and exceptional design to the global marketplace.

Renowned to be the fastest-ever fully-funded quartz fashion watch business, the company’s December funding round also broke the record for the largest ever crowdfunding raise by a watch manufacturer.

Tim Hayden, CEO of Hagley West Watches, commented:

“When we founded Hagley West, our ambition was simple – to provide discerning customers worldwide with high-quality, eye-catching British timepieces without the unnecessary, over-inflated ‘big brand’ mark-up.

“Our range blends style, functionality and practicality, providing the perfect model for almost every occasion. Undertaking a second round of crowdfunding has enabled us to facilitate ambitious international growth plans and, in the future, will help us to further expand our range with a number of stylish new designs.”

Highly popular among the domestic and international cricketing community, Hagley West has secured backing from some of the world’s best-known players including JP Duminy, Carols Braithwaite and Tino Best. The company, which is co-owned by West Indies legend Chris Gayle, prides itself on these links and is committed to supporting the next generation.

Hayden added:

“With almost 20 first-class county and professional cricketers having invested in the business, we wanted to give something back to the sport. By supporting the grass-roots level, we aim to inspire and support the talented players of tomorrow.”

The Hagley West range is available to order online at www.hagleywest.com. For more information, visit the website or follow the brand’s latest updates on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Manufacturing, Midlands News, Science

Plastique brings cleanroom packaging manufacturing closer to home

Leading European thermoformer TEQ:Plastique is proud to deliver a range of medical packaging solutions that are produced at state-of-the-art cleanrooms based in both the UK and Poland.

Designed, built and commissioned by pharmaceutical cleanroom experts, the facilities are certified to ISO 13485: 2016, suitable for the production of precision-made and custom thermoformed med-ical packaging.

The cleanrooms, located in Nottingham and Poznan, are designed to meet medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers’ most rigorous packaging requirements.

Its packaging solutions include trays, procedure sets, clamshells, tubs, covers, lids, sterile barrier blisters and seal blisters.

The company also manufactures custom thermoformed handling trays suitable for high-speed pro-duction, with automated assembly and transit. Handling tray solutions include auto-injectors, dry powder inhalers, injection-moulded components, pre-filled syringes and pharmaceutical bottles.

The two sites are fully certified to meet the BRC IoP Global Standard which sets strict criteria for manufacturers of packaging for the food and cosmetics industries.

TEQ:Plastique’s sister company, US thermoforming business TEQ, offers facilities that enable the company to produce identical tools for packaging products previously only manufactured in the US.

“Now, with identical machinery and tooling on both sides of the Atlantic, TEQ:Plastique can offer multinational customers shortened lead times, repeatability and uniformity together with a single global validation across a range of packaging solutions for the medical and pharmaceutical indus-tries,” says Anne-Sophie Belamine, TEQ:Plastique’s European Sales Director.

“With 40 years’ experience working with many of the world’s leading brand owners, we’re proud to be able to offer our customers a range of custom-made solutions, developed in our state-of-the-art cleanrooms in the UK, Poland and the US.

“Our facilities enable us to manufacture innovative thermoformed solutions, such as sterile barrier packaging, engineered to maximise revenue, reduce cost and increase our speed to market.”

For more information please visit: http://www.plastique.eu/

Cybersecurity, Data, Midlands News

23% of Midlands workers who mishandled sensitive information lost their job

Office workers in the West Midlands have experienced the most serious consequences from the mishandling of sensitive information at work, with nearly a quarter (23 per cent) admitting to having lost their job as a result of their mistake.

The national survey, commissioned by information security specialist Shred-it, found that 13 per cent of workers in the West Midlands had made a catastrophic error at work by leaving sensitive information lying around or losing something important.

Furthermore, 42 per cent of West Midlands-based workers admitted that their company had lost money or customers as a result of their losing private or sensitive information, compared with 25 per cent in the North West, 36 per cent in the North East and 26 per cent in the South West.

When asked if they had reported the loss of sensitive data to their company, 23 per cent of West Midlands workers said they had, whereas this figure was higher in other key regions, including 35 per cent in the North West, 38 per cent in the South East and 55 per cent in London.

The research also looked at the most common workplace errors, and revealed that 30 per cent of workers in the West Midlands had copied in the wrong person to an email, while 38 per cent had left their computer screen unlocked while they were away from their desk, leaving them and their company exposed to a potential data breach.

Ian Osborne, VP UK & Ireland for Shred-it, commented:

“This survey shows the different attitudes to handling sensitive information at work and when travelling to and from the office between workers across different regions of the UK. It is interesting to see that nearly a quarter of workers from the West Midlands had experienced the most extreme consequence of losing their job as a result of mishandling sensitive information at work.

“It’s all too easy to leave a laptop open without password protection or to throw sensitive documents in the bin, however these seemingly small errors can have serious repercussions, both for companies and their employees, no matter where they are located, potentially resulting in hefty fines or – as we have seen – even job losses.

“Companies must have strict policies on data protection that are communicated clearly to all employees and updated whenever necessary, to avoid potential breaches and to ensure compliance at all levels. Data protection is an important element to all businesses and one that cannot be ignored.”

For more information about Shred-IT, who authored the survey, please visit https://www.shredit.co.uk/en-gb/home