Category Archives: South West

Business News, News from England, News from Wales, South West

Dock Solutions Completes Management Buyout

Dock Solutions, the UK’s largest manufacturer of loading bay equipment, is pleased to announce the completion of a management buyout led by General Manager Joshua Hale in a deal advised on by the Cardiff-based GS Verde Group.

With a strong trading history of nearly 20 years, Dock Solutions offers bespoke manufacturing of levellers, lifts, industrial doors, and shelters, as well as product maintenance carried out by their expert team.

Joshua Hale has been an integral part of the company’s growth in recent years. Starting as an apprentice in 2016, Joshua quickly became committed to Dock Solutions’ ethos and vision, building great relationships and excelling in his role.

Joshua would eventually play a key role in growing Dock Solutions’ annual turnover from £2.6m to £4.9m in the space of four years, and the business achieving chartered status in 2020. Now, Joshua has completed an MBO of the business he first joined as an apprentice seven years ago.

Under the new ownership, Dock Solutions will remain dedicated to its commitment to go the extra mile for their customers and to upholding the history of British manufacturing and engineering with the products and services they provide.

The Management Buyout of Dock Solutions also means the business can continue its growth plans of expanding across the UK and opening a northern depot in Q1 of 2024, led by the people who know the business best.

Speaking on the MBO and his journey with Dock Solutions, Joshua said: “Back in 2016, I had a job paying £5.50 per hour, and as an apprentice I never would have thought I’d be in this position today. It is a great example of how apprenticeships work in certain industries, and I am so excited to take Dock Solutions into the future with our fantastic team at the helm.”

GS Verde Group was delighted to support Joshua and Dock Solutions in this exciting new chapter for the business, working with them throughout the deal-making process to achieve an optimal outcome for Dock Solutions’ continued success and the new management team’s ambitions for the future.

Acquisitions & Partnerships, Bristol, Business Expansion, Business Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships, Business News, Mergers & Acquisitions, News from England, South West

Rawlings Group Ltd Extends Service Offering with Strategic Acquisition of Paper Bag Company

Rawlings & Son Ltd (Rawlings Group), a multi-brand packaging and drink processing specialist, has acquired Paper Bag Company, in a seven-figure deal advised on by the GS Verde Group.

 

The acquisition brings together the largest independent glass packaging supplier in the UK and the market-leading supplier of bespoke bags for retail and business.

Rawlings Group has a rich history dating back to 1850, starting out by washing and recycling beer bottles and selling them to breweries. Today, Rawlings Group prides itself on its collaborative approach to packaging development and experience-led service, as well as having a focus on sustainability and working towards environmentally positive options.

Paper Bag Co. has been providing alternatives to plastic bags for businesses and retail spaces since its inception 18 years ago. The business draws on expertise in both digital and traditional printing techniques to create a wide range of high-quality, tailored paper, canvas, and reusable cotton bags for their clients.

Rawlings Group and Paper Bag Co. both prioritise an ethical approach to their products and supply chain. Through their accreditations and supply chain Paper Bag Co can offer a wide range of Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS organic) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified products; this level of transparency underpins a shared culture and commitment to protect the environment.

Rawlings Group CEO, Tom Wood, said of the acquisition: “The acquisition of Paper Bag Co is an exceptional opportunity for the Rawlings Group. By expanding our product offering in this space we will further develop our range of packaging services that share an ethical and sustainable focus, offering clients an end-to-end service for most packaging requirements.”

Paper Bag Co. CEO, Jon Marling added: “Rawlings Group was the perfect option to continue our journey on a larger platform. The Rawlings team’s ethos and purpose are very much aligned with ours and we are looking forward to developing our people and growing our positive impact & synergies in the future.”

The multidiscipline team at GS Verde Group advised Rawlings at every stage of the transaction, providing legal, financial and tax support for a streamlined and successful corporate transaction.

Law, News, South West, South West England News, Start Ups, Start-Up News

Roskilly and Mills: new legal practice launches in Bristol, specialising in advising non-married couples on separation, wills and inheritance disputes

Emily Roskilly and Lucia Mills announce the launch of their new business, Roskilly and Mills, which will provide specialist advice to cohabiting couples pre and post-separation with a holistic, transparent and empathetic approach.

“Common law marriage is a myth,” explains Emily Roskilly, “In the legal world, there is no such thing. The truth is that married couples have greater rights than unmarried ones, and unmarried couples and those who co-own property may need specialist legal advice. Contrary to popular belief, when there is a property dispute, this area of law is civil Law and not family Law – the two specialisms are governed by different Courts with different rules. When cohabiting couples separate, it is often a huge shock because one of them may end up with nothing – and huge costs!”

 

Post-pandemic, there has been an increase of 9.6%* in granted divorces, but many couples who lived together through lockdown were unmarried (or were unable to wed) and are now looking to separate.

Lucia Mills adds “There have been calls to reform the law in this area, however, this is currently not being prioritised.  We believe the law is out of step with modern-day society and there should be increased awareness for all unmarried couples”.  When a couple is married, the matrimonial assets are considered to be part of the family financial pot (which includes pension, savings, etc) and the Court often addresses these cases on a need basis and considers equality regardless of legal ownership.  However, this is not the case for unmarried couples and we therefore offer specialist advice to unmarried individuals in a changing world.

 

Emily empathises with those separating having been through it herself Roskilly and Mills are supportive of reform and are keen to raise awareness.  They are both members of Resolution, a professional body committed to a constructive approach to family disputes, who are actively campaigning for reform in this area.

 

As well as providing legal services, Roskilly and Mills understand that cohabiting couples also need help with finances, childcare, divorce coaches and well-being. Roskilly and Mills have experts on hand and tailor-made advice to help with every stage. And Emily and Lucia – unlike many corporate law firms – do not have internal financial targets which means they can focus on their clients.

 

“We are transparent about our fees” explains Emily “We understand that sometimes clients need emotional support – and we don’t charge a fee for kindness and a confidential chat.”

“As mums ourselves, we are keen to put the human, compassionate element back into legal advice. We ensure clients are involved in all decision-making, kept informed and updated throughout and that they fully understand the specialist legal advice they receive. The last thing our clients need to feel is uncertainty, in these difficult times.”

 

Roskilly and Mills have the following advice for ALL couples currently cohabiting:

-Be clear on intentions from the outset – they can prepare Cohabitation Agreements

-Consider putting a declaration of trust in place on the purchase of a property

-Obtain specialist legal advice on your rights if you are unsure of your legal position or if you have already separated

 

Roskilly and Mills also provide advice in respect of will and inheritance disputes which is also a complex and niche area of law.  We can advise on whether you have a claim against an Estate post-death,  with regard to executor and beneficiary disputes and potential validity challenges against wills.

For more information about this modern forward-thinking firm go to https://roskillyandmills.co.uk

 

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*ONS statistic 9.6% in granted divorces between 2020 and 2021 (Nov 22 figures)

News, South West

Bronze award for veterinary hospital’s sustainability efforts

An eco-friendly campaign launched by a leading Wiltshire small animal hospital has earned it a prestigious national honour.

Linnaeus-owned Eastcott Vets, in Swindon, has received a bronze award from Investors in the Environment (iiE), a national accreditation scheme designed to help organisations reduce their impact on the environment.

The accreditation was awarded following a sustainability initiative that has seen the practice set targets to reduce waste, emissions and costs.

Niki Burton, hospital director at Eastcott Vets, said: “The whole team is so pleased to have earned this recognition for our collective efforts to reduce the environmental impact of our practice.

“The bronze award from iiE reflects the hard work of our Green Team for championing this cause and developing a new eco-friendly policy, along with the entire team’s ongoing commitment to reducing our environmental impact.

“As part of the changes we have implemented, we have introduced reusable alternatives to commonly-used items like scrub hats and ‘Bair Hugger’ blankets where possible.

“We are all committed to continuing this good work and plan to introduce more positive measures in the future in order to build on our sustainability efforts.”

The iiE annual audit consists of an assessment of five key areas of an organisation’s Environmental Management Systems (EMS). These include:
• Environmental policy
• Resource management and monitoring
• Progress against targets
• Action planning including social/environmental projects
• Communication

Ellie West, environmental sustainability lead at Linnaeus, is pleased to see Eastcott’s sustainability efforts being recognised.
She said: “At Linnaeus, we focus strongly on quality of care and this translates to becoming a sustainable business and upholding our responsibilities to our clients, associates and communities.

“That’s why I am so excited to be leading our ambitious sustainability agenda, which strives to deliver a better future for everyone. I’m thrilled to see another of our Linnaeus partners recognised for their efforts.”

News, Public Sector, RPA, South West, Tech

Swindon Borough Council’s Children’s Services Systems Revolutionised by Innovative RPA Technology

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is streamlining the council’s delivery of vital services for families, improving support for over 230,000 residents.

Swindon Borough Council is celebrating the successful completion of another step in its digital transformation journey. The council has used RPA technology to migrate 200,000 Children’s Services records into CareDirector, a comprehensive new system. Council teams can now record and share data accurately, improving the continuity of the care plans delivered to over 230,000 residents.

By migrating legacy systems to CareDirector, the council has combined data recording, handling, and sharing for the Community Health, Mental Health, and Social Services teams. The results have included savings in staff time, improved experience for staff and service users, and better document management. Without the responsibility of monotonous rekeying, staff can spend more time on human-centric tasks, delivering valuable advice and support to Children’s Services users.

CareDirector has already begun saving time, improving data-sharing capabilities, and reducing errors – ultimately, the system is helping to deliver efficient services with resident experience and welfare in mind.

The problem and solution

Swindon Borough Council’s previous manual system required community-facing teams to record social care data across a range of separate CapitaOne and Civica-hosted systems. This posed a number of challenges, including data-sharing issues and some informational discrepancies between teams, which led to delays.

This burden has been lifted with the help of NDL Automate. The specialised RPA product  is provided by NDL, a software company specialising in public sector digital transformation.

Faced with a huge volume of data – manual extraction and migration weren’t feasible for the council. RPA Automate Bots emulate manual data input, but with much greater speed and efficiency. Automate Bots were able to migrate over 130,000 Child Services documents in a matter of days – a task that would have taken council workers weeks to manage manually.

This latest development follows the council’s use of RPA technology to improve the Free School Meals application process. Thanks to Swindon’s existing product licence for NDL Automate, they were able to migrate all records into CareDirector without added investment into further tech infrastructure.

Following the success of the Children’s Services digitisation project, Swindon Borough Council has also applied NDL’s Automate solution to its Educational Welfare and Housing systems. The replicable nature of the project means the council is able to continue its digital transformation independently, without further aid from external tech experts.

Rhian Loveless, Senior Business Analyst at Swindon Borough Council, said:

“RPA has given us the flexibility, and the opportunity, to integrate between systems earlier and cheaper – in the midst of a complex landscape of contracts ending and new system procurements. For our integration between CapitaOne and CareDirector we’ve already future proofed our solution to move to Synergy when it is implemented in March 2023. This has avoided either procuring multiple integrations at £20k at time, or a delay in the data being available to front line practitioners to carry out holistic, informed interventions – reducing the time available to work with children, young people and their families.”

 For more information about the Swindon Borough Council Social Care RPA project, contact info@ndl.co.uk.

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About NDL:

NDL is a UK SME software company developing transformational technologies with a social purpose. Its digital transformation platform delivers digital and RPA solutions that have been specifically designed for the public sector, for the public good – enabling better design and delivery of services.

For nearly 40 years, NDL has worked closely with a growing community of public sector customers, sharing best practices, innovations, and templates so that similar challenges being faced across the country can be overcome more easily.

Aiding digital transformation and compatible with all vendor software and legacy infrastructure, its technology is designed to provide immediate and long-term benefits. NDL Evolve includes eforms, mobile apps, robotic process automation, and digital workflow, which help organisations to better engage with the public, seamlessly integrate teams in the field, and ensure information is available where and when it is needed for more informed and quicker decision-making. In doing so, its technology helps to reduce the burden of admin, enabling teams to achieve significant savings in time and money and helping the public access the services they need.

 

News, South West

Silver Fox targets growth after coordinated investment drive

A Hertfordshire manufacturer that supplies its labelling solutions to companies such as ABB, London Underground, Mitsubishi, Network Rail and Vodafone is looking to expand after tapping into expert support.

Silver Fox Ltd has continued to invest in new plant and machinery throughout Covid-19 and, when combined with specialist external assistance, this has helped it grow considerably over the last twelve months.

The family-run business has benefitted from accessing industry knowledge through the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), an initiative designed for SMEs, funded by the European Regional Development Fund and delivered by Oxford Innovation Advice.

“We design, develop and manufacture highly durable labelling solutions, particularly for the electrical instrumentation, data, and telecoms sectors. We’re also seeing growing success in the process sector,” explained Nick Michaelson, Director at Silver Fox Ltd.

“One of our innovations is an industry-leading product called the Fox-in-a-Box®, which means clients can print our entire range of thermal labels all from one software, one printer and one ribbon.”

He continued: “This includes the highly durable Fox-Flo® tie-on cable label, which is both UV-stable and Low-Smoke Zero-Halogen. This makes it ideal for use trackside on Network Rail, in tunnels with the London Underground and across oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, data centres, public buildings and the rapidly expanding renewables sectors.”

Silver Fox, which was the first manufacturer in Hertfordshire to become carbon-negative in 2020, is a strong advocate of MGP and the specialist support it has provided.

It is urging other SMEs to tap into the remaining grants available for business improvement projects and is calling on management teams to throw their support behind the initiative as the new funding landscape is being formed.

“Industry really needs to make the most of the Manufacturing Growth Programme whilst it is here and, importantly, ensure that it is still around when the new support packages are announced,” added Nick.

“It is a helpful service, and it makes the process so easy. The impact is immediate, and we’ve also looked at using the specialist support to complement our own long-term solutions for our business.”

Amanda Freeland, MGP’s Manufacturing Growth Manager for Hertfordshire, concluded: “The company is a great example of a specialist firm that has really served its marketplace, formed strong connections with very large clients by making products that are world-beating.

“In addition, it is a carbon-negative company that builds sustainability into everything it does, from investment in energy savings and process improvements, to reductions in plastic waste and choosing biodegradable materials in its packaging for example.”

As the business grows during these challenging times, it is likely that Silver Fox will also be looking to expand its workforce in the months to come.

Construction, Construction News, News, South West

South West builders merchant giving tool theft advice following publication of hard-hitting report

Following the publication of a report indicating that four out of five people working in the trades sector have experienced tool theft at an average cost of £4,470 per tradesperson, RGB Building Supplies is giving advice on what can be done to help protect expensive equipment.

The report was commissioned by insurance company Simply Business and On The Tools. Simply Business has been petitioning the government for tighter regulation on the selling of second-hand tools. A Bill proposing a requirement for those selling used tools online to show serial numbers was presented to the House of Commons in April 2021.

Paul Hague, Branch Manager at RGB Tiverton, commented:

“It may sound obvious, but builders, carpenters, roofers, plumbers and bricklayers can’t work without their tools. As the construction industry has by far the largest number of self-employed workers of any sector, being the victim of tool theft can cause a double whammy of a financial hit – tradespeople can’t work, so lose out on the money they need to earn to replace the tools.

“RGB supports the work that Simply Business is doing to improve regulation, but it is yet to come into law. A tradesperson’s tool kit is expensive, so we wanted to help support our customers’ livelihoods by providing advice and highlighting some gadgets that can help to protect against theft.”

Ensure tools are marked

As the report indicated that only 1% of tradespeople recovered their stolen tools, marking tools can deter theft, make it more difficult for stolen equipment to be sold on, and help reunite tools with their owners.

Paul said:

“We have previously worked with Devon and Cornwall Police to hold tool-marking events at RGB branches. They suggested marking the tools with a house number and postcode using a UV pen, by etching, engraving or using a specialist tool-marking kit, which can last for five years.”

Add additional locks to vans

Adding additional deadlocks and hook locks to a van can act as a preventative measure, as they make it harder for criminals to gain access. Deadlocks are extremely difficult to pick because they don’t have springs in the locking mechanisms.

Fit a secure tool safe

Another preventative measure is to install a lockable tool safe in a van. Tools can be locked away in the safe, and as it’s securely bolted to the floor of the van, a criminal cannot simply carry the safe away.

Protect tools with insurance

The majority of insurance companies offer dedicated tool insurance specifically for tradespeople. Whilst the insurance doesn’t stop the inconvenience of being victim of a theft, it does provide peace of mind that the value of a loss will be covered.

Retrofit van alarms

There are a number of van alarm systems on the market, such as the Smart 360 Cube, Van Guardian and Vanolarm, which can be retrofitted. As well as providing an audible alarm when a van is broken into, many use tracking and smart technology to send alerts to mobile phones.

Park a van carefully

It’s wise to park a van in a well-lit area, as this will act as a deterrent, and try to use an area that is covered by CCTV. Tradespeople can also make use of walls and hedges to help block doors from being opened.

Paul Hague concluded:

“We all know that removing tools from a van overnight is perhaps the best theft deterrent. However, thieves don’t just target vans. The report indicated that one in 10 people had tools and equipment stolen from their homes and garages, so we would also suggest adding extra locks and security to wherever tools are stored when they are not being kept in a van.”

Environment, Environment News, News from Wales, North Wales, South West, Transport

Geotechnical logging pioneer works on Devon rail safety project

A PIONEER of geophysical and geotechnical logging technologies worked on a major rail safety project on the South Coast.

Robertson Geo Operating Services – which has sites in the US, North Wales, and Asia – was contracted to conduct geo-logging on boreholes drilled as part of the investigation into the re-alignment of the Parsons Tunnel to Teignmouth line in Devon.

In 2020, Network Rail carried out a consultation process on its proposals to realign the railway to make room for corrective measures to stabilise the cliffs along that 1.8km section of the track.

Work is ongoing, and Robertson Geo is pleased to have been involved in helping to find a solution to the problem.

A spokesperson added: “The railway travels along a famously picturesque route along the South Coast, with sheer sedimentary cliffs on one side, and the open ocean on the other.

“This project aims to improve this infrastructure by re-aligning the tracks and ultimately creating more space on the coastline, which will allow for the installation of rockfall protection, increasing beach retention and providing amenities for the public, such as walking and cycling routes.”

They added: “Our televiewers were deployed to increase their geological dataset where core sample recovery was impeded.

“Understanding groundwater conditions by running the NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resistivity) was also a priority, as with electrical measurements from the Focused Electric and Electric Log probes.

“Other tools used included the 3-Arm Caliper, Triple Sonic, and the Temperature/Conductivity probe, which provided important data on issues such as saltwater incursion into these coastal aquifers.”

For more news and information from Robertson Geo, visit the website: www.robertson-geo.com.

News, South West, Tech

Dorset-based Wessex Internet secures investment from abrdn

Arrowpoint Advisory has advised leading full fibre operator Wessex Internet on securing a major equity investment from abrdn. The investment will help to accelerate the deployment of Wessex Internet’s full fibre-to-the-home network across rural parts of the South West of England. In establishing the agreement, abrdn will work together with Wessex Internet’s founders to support their vision for the future growth of the business.

Wessex Internet is a full fibre operator in the South West of England, having built an impressive fibre footprint across Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. The business has a network footprint covering tens of thousands of homes across these counties and has secured significant contracts underpinning a business plan that targets an additional 150,000 premises by 2027, through a combination of subsidised and unsubsidised capital investment.

Notably, at the end of August 2022, the UK Government announced that Wessex had been awarded the first subsidy contract under their new £5bn Project Gigabit broadband scheme, which will reach 7,100 premises in rural parts of North Dorset.

This is the first investment funded by abrdn’s third Core Infrastructure Fund, ASCI III, which is raising a target €1 billion to invest in the pan-European infrastructure mid-market and follows on from the final investment in abrdn’s second Core Infrastructure Fund, SLCI II, in the German train rolling stock sector.

Dominic Helmsley, Head of abrdn Core Infrastructure, said: “We are committed to delivering reliable and essential infrastructure to local communities. This investment is our second UK rural fibre investment and underpins our core capabilities and ambitions in real assets.”

Alex Anderson, Investment Director at abrdn’s Core Infrastructure Fund, said: “We look forward to working alongside Wessex Internet’s founders and management team, leveraging our capabilities and experience in the infrastructure sector to deliver this next phase of growth to the benefit of a number of historically underserved rural parts of the country.

This kind of investment is crucial to allowing the supply of ultrafast, reliable and cost-effective broadband in rural areas to help drive productivity, connect communities and reduce the digital divide across the UK.”

 

Hector Gibson Fleming, Chief Executive Officer at Wessex Internet, added: “I would like to thank the team at Arrowpoint Advisory for their support in helping us to find the right partner for the next stage in our growth journey. Wessex Internet is a local Dorset company; our fantastic team have already built a track record of delivering outstanding products and exceptional service through our collaborative approach to full fibre rollout into underserved rural communities.

This investment from abrdn is a demonstration of the success of our differentiated strategy. As we accelerate our rollout, we will fulfil our vision of connecting the rest of the communities within our region, creating a truly local broadband operator with a trusted brand that fully understands its customer base. We are hugely excited about working with the abrdn Core Infrastructure investment team to build on our reputation as we enter this next phase of growth.”

 

Ian Brown, Managing Director at Arrowpoint Advisory, concluded: “Wessex Internet is a unique Altnet with a strong culture and management team. It’s remarkable what the founders have built in the last decade, and we are delighted to have supported them on this private capital fund raise, enabling Wessex Internet to accelerate its successful rollout. Whilst we look forward to seeing the results of this partnership in the South West of England, the transaction further reinforces Rothschild & Co’s strong track record in the full-fibre space.”

Appointments, Healthcare, News, South West

Bridge Health & Wellbeing welcomes a new sports massage therapist to their growing clinical team

Family-run clinic Bridge Health & Wellbeing in Christchurch, Dorset, is delighted to welcome experienced sports massage therapist Nathan Nobel to their team.

Trained in Bournemouth, Nathan is a Level 4 Sports Massage Therapist. Having worked within clinical settings, Nathan has also gained valuable experience assisting the Reading Rockets Basketball team and the Swindon Marine Football team.

Nathan has a passion for helping people. Having had some of his own obstacles in earlier years, he is keen to prove that anything is possible. He particularly enjoys treating ankle injuries, knee injuries, and headaches.

Paul O’Connell, co-founder and physiotherapist at Bridge Health & Wellbeing, said, “We are delighted to welcome Nathan to our team. Alongside sports massage therapy, Nathan is trained in Kinesio taping and immobilisation strapping, bringing a wide range of skills to complement our existing team. With three physiotherapists, three sports massage therapists and our chiropractor Aaron, we are well-equipped to offer a comprehensive range of clinical services for health and wellbeing.”

Bridge Health & Wellbeing is a friendly, family-run clinic in the heart of Christchurch in Dorset, with high quality physiotherapy, chiropractic treatment, sports massage and rehabilitation services,  expert Pilates and yoga classes and state-of-the-art gym facilities all under one roof.