Tag Archives: Birmingham

Business

Acuity Law Welcomes Corporate Dental Specialist Partner to Birmingham Office

Acuity Law is delighted to welcome nationally recognised corporate dental specialist Clare Emery to its Birmingham office.

Clare joins from HCR Law, where she led the dental team, and comes with over 20 years’ experience of working within the dental sector. She focuses on advising dental professionals as they buy, sell and restructure their practices. She also has a comprehensive understanding of the NHS and CQC regulatory frameworks and is recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Partner for Corporate and Commercial work in the West Midlands.

Clare joins an established team of health and social care specialists at Acuity Law with a sizeable dedicated dental M&A team spread across Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool and now Birmingham. In the last year, the team advised on the sale or purchase of dental practices with an aggregate deal value upwards of £200m. Advising corporate providers, partnerships and sole practitioners alike, Acuity’s team is especially known for the breadth of its offering as it has regulatory, employment, immigration, commercial and real estate specialists who regularly advise dental providers on all aspects of their NHS and private businesses. The Acuity team contains experts who are members of NASDAL and ASPD, the two pre-eminent bodies in the UK for dental specialist advisers.

Acuity Law launched its Birmingham office in 2023, connecting its Midlands client base to its national network, which runs from Cardiff and Bristol in the South to London, and then Leeds and Liverpool in the North West.

“We are thrilled to welcome Clare to the Corporate Healthcare team at Acuity. Clare is a fantastic lawyer, with an incredible track record in supporting dental professionals to achieve their business goals. The breadth of her experience and strong relationships nationwide is a significant boon to our flourishing practice advising dental professionals on all their business and regulatory needs,” said Senior Partner Jon Lawley.

“I’m delighted to join the nationally renowned Acuity dental team and look forward to working with them to continue to deliver expert advice to dental professionals,” said Clare Emery.

Appointments, Birmingham, Business

Acuity Law Welcomes Corporate Dental Specialist Partner to Birmingham Office

Acuity Law is delighted to welcome nationally recognised corporate dental specialist Clare Emery to its Birmingham office.

Clare joins from HCR Law, where she led the dental team, and comes with over 20 years’ experience of working within the dental sector. She focuses on advising dental professionals as they buy, sell and restructure their practices. She also has a comprehensive understanding of the NHS and CQC regulatory frameworks and is recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Partner for Corporate and Commercial work in the West Midlands.

Clare joins an established team of health and social care specialists at Acuity Law with a sizeable dedicated dental M&A team spread across Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool and now Birmingham. In the last year, the team advised on the sale or purchase of dental practices with an aggregate deal value upwards of £200m. Advising corporate providers, partnerships and sole practitioners alike, Acuity’s team is especially known for the breadth of its offering as it has regulatory, employment, immigration, commercial and real estate specialists who regularly advise dental providers on all aspects of their NHS and private businesses. The Acuity team contains experts who are members of NASDAL and ASPD, the two pre-eminent bodies in the UK for dental specialist advisers.

Acuity Law launched its Birmingham office in 2023, connecting its Midlands client base to its national network, which runs from Cardiff and Bristol in the South to London, and then Leeds and Liverpool in the North West.

“We are thrilled to welcome Clare to the Corporate Healthcare team at Acuity. Clare is a fantastic lawyer, with an incredible track record in supporting dental professionals to achieve their business goals. The breadth of her experience and strong relationships nationwide is a significant boon to our flourishing practice advising dental professionals on all their business and regulatory needs,” said Senior Partner Jon Lawley.

“I’m delighted to join the nationally renowned Acuity dental team and look forward to working with them to continue to deliver expert advice to dental professionals,” said Clare Emery.

News

Villa Vision, part of the Aston Villa Foundation, delivers 6,000th screening to local children across Birmingham

Thanks to Villa Vision 6,000 children across Birmingham have had their vision screened.

Even mild to moderate vision loss can have a massive impact on a child’s behaviour, welfare and learning outcomes, sometimes leading to a life of missed potential.

Villa Vision is led by the Aston Villa Foundation in collaboration with Aston University with funding from the University, Premier League, Professional Footballers Association and EssilorLuxottica’s charitable Foundation OneSight. Designed and delivered by the Aston Villa Foundation’s dedicated eyecare team, Villa Vision helps to raise awareness of the importance of eye health for both children and adults within the local communities of Birmingham.

The initiative is the first of its kind in the UK, delivering workshops, vision screenings, and fully comprehensive eye testing within Villa Vision’s fully equipped mobile eye care unit, in primary and secondary schools across Birmingham.

A child’s first involvement with the initiative will be through an eye health awareness workshop in the classroom, utilising equipment such as VR headsets, 3D glasses and eye models to give children a sense of understanding about the importance of looking after their eyesight. This is immediately followed by a vision and colour vision screening for each child.

Villa Vision uses Thomson Screening’s SchoolScreener software for vision and colour vision screening which makes the process of screening a class of children more efficient and versatile, whilst keeping children engaged in the vision screening process. So far, over 6000 children have been screened by Villa Vision using the software.

Research shows that children with undiagnosed vision loss, however mild, can be severely disadvantaged in school. So much teaching, and therefore learning, is done through the use of visual aids and if a child cannot see properly then they cannot engage in the class. It can also impact a child’s friendships, if they can’t see the ball during playtime, or they miss visual cues from friends, they can feel left out by their peers. Ultimately this can negatively affect learning outcomes and social development which can have long reaching impacts well into adult life.

Villa Vision’s aim is to reduce these negative impacts by ensuring each child has access to a vision test and if a problem is detected, they can then be referred and receive the treatment or tools they need. SchoolScreener has helped to identify children with a potential undiagnosed visual concern and has led to Villa Vision supporting many of these children by following up with full eye examinations and providing glasses to those requiring them.

“It’s so exciting to see the children when they put on a pair of glasses for the first time and suddenly see the world more clearly. By using the SchoolScreener software, that can be administered by anyone with just 30 minutes training, we have been able to reach over 6000 children within local primary and secondary schools across Birmingham. I feel very proud of that achievement and very much we will be celebrating another 6000 soon.” said Nikhil Sonpal, Optometrist and Project Manager for Villa Vision.

Cole was one of almost 1,000 children who have been flagged for further investigation through the vision and colour screening process. Cole said, “When I came into the room I thought ‘wow, what are those glasses?’ When I sat in the chair, I was feeling quite excited because I would get to put on some cool glasses!”

When asked about how long the vision screening had taken, Cole said, “It was quite short, I thought it would have taken about 10 minutes, but it only took around three minutes.” On how he felt after the check, Cole added, “When I was walking out of the room, I felt a bit excited.”

Following the vision and colour vision screening process, Cole went on to have a fully comprehensive eye examination in Villa Vision’s fully equipped mobile eye care unit, receiving two free pairs of glasses. Following the experience, Cole shared:

“In the classroom, the glasses have helped my teacher, as they don’t need to bring the flipchart closer for me and they also help me with seeing the whiteboard. Also, when my friends show me something from the other side of the classroom, without my glasses I wouldn’t be able to see before but with them on they would help me. They made me feel that actually I am not invisible.”

Since the project’s inception in 2020, Villa Vision has reached several successful milestones to continue the project’s growth and impact on the local community, with almost 15,000 individual interventions actioned and over 400 pairs of free glasses having been prescribed to more than 200 children, who may not have otherwise received them, impacting their education and learning.

“SchoolScreener has made a tangible impact on the goals of Villa Vision. It is efficient and versatile and has helped to make both vision and colour vision screening more accessible to those children that are targeted through the programme. The administrative capability of the software allows Villa Vision to provide parents with a bespoke report to outline the results of the check.” said Nikhil Sonpal, Optometrist and Project Manager for Villa Vision.

 “Involving the parents is so important, and being able to give them a report is a great way to start the process – they can see the results for themselves. For many parents they simply had no idea their child’s vision wasn’t 20/20.

 “Helping these children, and by extension their families, still gives the Villa Vision team that goosebumps feeling of having made a real difference to someone’s life and future.”

ABOUT THOMSON SCREENING

Thomson Screening is the leading supplier of software for Vision and Hearing Screening and other School Health Needs including Health/Risk Assessments, Immunisations, Height/Weight and associated data management.

The company was founded in 2011 by City, University of London, and further develops and commercialises the work of Professor David Thomson, for 25 years head of Department at the University’s Department of Optometry and Dr. Sebastian Hendricks, Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital in Paediatric Audiovestibular Medicine.

Thomson Screening’s products address healthcare, education and workplace needs around the world with the software has managing over 3million screenings to date. Customers include the NHS in the UK, non-profit organisations in the USA and NGOs in developing countries. https://schoolscreener.com/

Web: https://schoolscreener.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/schoolscreener/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thomsonscreening/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchoolScreener

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Schoolscreener/

ABOUT THE ASTON VILLA FOUNDATION

The Aston Villa Foundation is a registered charity (number 1152848) that delivers the community and social responsibility work of Aston Villa Football Club.

Working alongside key local and national stakeholders, the Foundation delivers projects, initiatives and provides opportunities to achieve its mission of ‘Working Together to Enrich Lives’.

The Foundation and its partners work with people from a variety of backgrounds in Birmingham as well as supporting the wider ‘Aston Villa family’ through several departments including schools, football in the community, disability, health and wellbeing, education, youth and community and community relations.

For more information about the Aston Villa Foundation and Media Enquiries, please contact Content and Communications Officer Annie Benton at ab11@avfc.co.uk

Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @avfcfoundation

Website: https://www.avfc.co.uk/foundation

Business, Business News

Quantum Advisory secure £9m full scheme buy-in for Birmingham Chamber of Commerce with Just Group

Quantum Advisory, the leading independent financial services consultancy, has brokered a £9m full scheme buy-in with Just Group for the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Pension Fund. The transaction provides improved benefit security to around 100 pensioners and 40 deferred members and opens a new chapter for the sponsoring employer, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry, who can now concentrate their resource on commercial activities for the benefit of businesses in the surrounding area.

After much work and due diligence, Trustee Corporation Limited (acting as Sole Trustee) signed terms with Just Group towards the end of last year, a significant step towards full scheme buy-out where all members’ benefits will be secured with, and paid by, Just Group for the lifetime of the Fund.

The lead transaction adviser, investment adviser and Scheme Actuary are Quantum Advisory and the Trustee legal adviser for the buy-out project is Gateley. The longstanding Trustee of the Fund is Trustee Corporation Limited, represented by Vivien Cockerill.

Adam Cottrell, lead transaction advisor at Quantum Advisory, said: “To complete a £9m transaction so seamlessly at an extremely busy time for the market was very satisfying. Knowing how this enhanced level of pension security will benefit members over the long term, at a time when everyone’s finances are so stretched, also makes this a particularly rewarding end to a successful project. The Trustee and the Chamber put their trust in us to make the right moves, at speed, at key stages of the transaction, something which is so often critical in getting this size of deal over the line.”

Joanne Eynon, partner and scheme actuary at Quantum Advisory, said: “We have worked diligently with the Trustee and Chamber since 2010 and so it was very fulfilling for us to see them achieve their long-term strategic objective as planned, providing additional security for Fund members and a new chapter for the Chamber. We are very proud to have helped them reach this key milestone on their journey to buy-out.”

Vivien Cockerill, trustee director at Trustee Corporation Limited, said: “The Chamber of Commerce and the trustees, including Trustee Corporation Limited, identified buy-out as their long-term aim many years ago. Trustee Corporation Limited moved to become the sole trustee more recently and the team is delighted to have achieved the important step of a full buy-in significantly more quickly than expected. The careful planning and good teamwork with the Chamber and the advisers in implementation have worked well.”

Helen Bates, chief financial officer at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said: “Birmingham Chamber of Commerce & Industry is pleased to secure its members’ benefits following the sale of its premises in 2020 and significant investment in the fund. The Chamber has worked closely with the trustee of the scheme Trustee Corporation Limited and scheme actuary Quantum Advisory to secure the future of the fund, and we can now focus on our mission to connect, support and grow businesses in Greater Birmingham.”

 

Rosie Mills, senior business development analyst, Just Group, said: “We completed this transaction in such a short timeframe, and in a particularly busy market – which illustrates that there’s a vibrant bulk annuity market for schemes of all sizes. We’re very pleased to have helped secure the future benefits of 140 members and assist the Trustee on its journey towards buy-out, while freeing the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry to focus their resources on commercial activity in their local area.”

 

News

Haines Watts welcomes six trainees to its West Midlands offices

Leading accountancy and business advisory firm Haines Watts has welcomed six new trainees and graduates to join the firm’s operations in the West Midlands.

The graduates and school leavers will take up a host of positions across its offices in Birmingham, Tamworth, Worcester, Ashby, and Hereford, joining their current crop of 24 other regional trainees.

To welcome the new team members on board, the graduates attended a regional welcome induction at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) headquarters in London recently, where they met their peers from around the country and heard from previous trainees and partners on their career progression.

Baljit Kaur, Regional HR Advisor in the West Midlands, commented: “Our trainee induction was a fantastic opportunity to welcome our 2022 cohort of new starters.

“They had a fun-filled, informative day getting to know each other and gaining insights from our existing trainee group, about life as a trainee and the journey ahead. They also heard from senior partners and owners of the firm about their stories, the values that run through our people and brand, the clients we work with and ambitions our leaders have for the future of Haines Watts.

“The innovative ideas generated during various tasks were excellent and I was delighted to see them developing relationships with their peers from other offices across the UK. They’re at the start of a very exciting journey at and I look forward to seeing the ideas and energy that they bring.”

Haines Watts prides itself on its commitment to talent development, investing over £20K per candidate in creating an academy dedicated to the continued development of staff, as well as an accredited training programme.

This commitment will continue with all the new starters, who will be joining different training routes, including ACA, ACCA or the tax pathway.

Kasim Khan, Audit and Accounts Trainee, said: “The reason I chose to join Haines Watts was due to the personal aspect of the course and training; it seemed like a firm that you were more accepted into and somewhere that really cared about my progression.

“If I had chosen to accept an offer from one of the top four, I would have been seen as a number not an individual. I can already really see the connection, and support from colleagues and managers alike.

“The highlight from the induction day was meeting a group of semi seniors. They were very supportive, given they have been in the same position as us and understood our feelings and what was running through our minds.”

Charlie Gordon, Audit and Accounts Trainee, concluded: “What drew me to Haines Watts was the emphasis it has on employee wellbeing, as well as the focus on communication with clients, instead of just focusing on the numbers.

“The day was really useful for making new connections with likeminded individuals across the country. I’m now really looking forward to getting stuck into work, getting involved with the team and meeting clients.”

Haines Watts is a leading advisor to owner-managed businesses in the UK. As a Top 15 firm, the company delivers a wide range of advisory services and solutions across Tax, Audit and Accounts that enables aspirational business owners to achieve their goals.

News

Elevate brings the style of the ‘Shadowman’s’ work to Birmingham in latest Urban Myth collaboration

A tribute to ‘The Godfather of Street Art’ has been unveiled in Birmingham thanks to the latest collaboration between Elevate Property Group and local artist Jim Kerr.

The leading Midlands independent developer, which recently completed its 1000th new home, commissioned the Seven9Signs entrepreneur to paint seven ‘Pointy’ illustrations of a man and a lady at its hugely popular Priory House development in the Southside of the city.

Inspired by and in the style of the late Richard Hambleton, the seven 3 metre x 1.5m commissions will be enjoyed by residents and people in nearby apartments.

The art also pays homage to the original 1950s illustrations discovered on signs found during the strip out of the buildings and accentuates the forensic science laboratory theme that celebrates the former use of the buildings.

It took Jim just seven days to hand paint the installation and marks the ninth collaboration between the two parties as they look to create a trail of urban myths for local people, visitors and tourists to enjoy.

Steve Dodd, founder of Elevate Property Group, explained: “Our focus is on creating developments that bring redundant building backs to life and get people talking. The Urban Myths installations in Birmingham are really adding to the conversation.

“The first artwork, ‘Less is more, more or less’, appeared on the back of the Concord House development on Holloway Head and was a bit of a subliminal message from us and this is the path we’ve followed in our other landmark installations that are featured across the city, including our huge Peaky Blinders mural located at the back of our offices on St Paul’s Square.”

He went on to add: “Priory House is different to the rest, as we’ve tied in the forensic labs history of the building with a tribute to Richard Hambleton, a Canadian-born artist known as The Godfather of Street Art and believed to be a major inspiration to ‘Banksy’.

“The seven pointy illustrations have been hand-painted and are framed in steel to give a stunning installation for current and future residents to enjoy at the 77,000 sq ft building. It’s another individual stamp on Elevate’s growing portfolio.”

Jim is the talented local artist bringing the Urban Myths collection to life and is one of the few remaining traditional sign writers and gilders in the West Midlands.

The 43-year-old is passionate about keeping the hand-painted techniques alive and the work he is doing on some of Birmingham’s most iconic new developments is helping to draw attention to the craft with major interest in the statements and murals across all social media channels.

“My first commission from Steve was in 2015 and it has really taken off from there,” added Jim.

“The ‘myths’ are huge and in such prominent locations that they’re difficult to miss. The ambiguity of the pieces encourages people to question their meaning and, the fact they are hand painted, sparks the debate about how they got there and who painted them. It’s a great way to get people to further engage with the architecture of their city.

“Hopefully, it will inspire more people to look at this as a possible career and more organisations to invest in traditional sign writing as a way of promoting their businesses or developments.”

He concluded: “Richard Hambleton was one of the originators of street art and a phenomenally talented artist, so I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to paint this tribute to his work – here in the UK’s second city that I now call home.”

The regeneration of Priory House has created 79 unique 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments, many with city skyline views, terraces, balconies, and a podium garden for the residents.

95% of the building has been sold, with strong interest from both owner occupiers and investors alike.

 

Marketing, PR and SEO, Midlands News, News

Hanlin and Hufton work their magic as Pull The Pin heads for bumper first year

Putting power in the hands of creators is placing one of Birmingham’s newest digital marketing and video agencies on course for a bumper first year.

Pull The Pin, which is the brainchild of digital expert Sam Hufton and celebrity illusionist and magician Ben Hanlin, is expecting fees to hit over £700,000 by the end of July after picking up a string of new wins.

Located on Newhall Street in the heart of the city, the company has already created fifteen jobs and has ambitious plans to take on four more as it expects to double the size of the business by 2023.

Friends for more than 25 years, the duo have built their business on the ethos that all brands, no matter how big or small, should focus on what they do best and leave their digital strategy to the experts.

They achieve this by streamlining the agency’s approach to creative, video and digital marketing work, so that industry experts effectively connect clients to their audiences, delivering tangible results in the process.

It’s an approach that is already paying dividends, with global professional services firm PwC, restaurant chain Leon, recruitment specialists IDEX Consulting, the English Golf Union, Mazars and The Mirror all tapping into services that include digital strategy, marketing automation, social consultancy, SEO, video creation and TikTok strategies.

“We’ve always talked about doing something together and then Covid-19 happened, which accelerated our thinking,” explained Ben, who made the semi-final on hit TV show Dancing on Ice just before the pandemic broke.

“Some people thought we were nuts starting a business during such difficult times, but it’s something we had kicked around for long enough. The added increase in online use, and especially video, meant it just felt like the right time and the right opportunity.

“Sam is an unbelievable operator in the digital space and very well known throughout the sector, whilst my job meant I was used to creating lots of content that gets millions of organic views – that’s the key to Pull The Pin.”

He went on to add: “All of my bookings and tours vanished overnight, so I started to focus on building a massive online following and thought… ‘why don’t we help companies to do just that, especially those that may not have the in-house capability or are wasting thousands of pounds on polished content that few people view’.”

Pull The Pin has gone from a standing start to one of the region’s most talked about agencies.

At the heart of its success has been recruiting experienced specialists in their individual disciplines and fifteen staff have been brought in to head-up its Birmingham and overseas operations.

Many have been attracted by the founders’ desire to create an agency that people want to work for and a culture that encourages working hard, creativity and autonomy to execute strong campaigns.

This has seen PTP introduce 30 days holiday as standard, regular early finishes to celebrate milestones and the impending prospect of being able to work anywhere from the world for four weeks per year.

Sam, who has previously held senior roles at M3.Agency and Found, continued: “We want to attract the best talent and the best creative minds, so we have to reflect this in our working environment and the culture we are trying to build.

“The plan is working, and we’ve been able to recruit outstanding specialists in digital marketing, web, SEO, content creation, paid for social and video production, whether it is polished films or more ‘in the moment’ footage.

“What this means is that we deliver what we promise, and this is seeing us win high profile accounts and attract growing businesses who are looking for innovative ways to connect with their audiences.”

He concluded: “Putting power in the hands of creators and showing them how to maximise it is the way forward and we want PTP to help Birmingham compete and overtake Bristol, Leeds and Manchester as a hotspot for digital talent.”

News

Elevate appoints a trio of contractors to deliver £32m+ builds across the Midlands

Construction deals worth more than £32m have been signed in the Midlands after a trio of contractors were selected on behalf of Elevate Property Group.

The Midlands’ leading independent developer, led by property entrepreneur Steve Dodd, has selected Kings Heath-based Kavanagh Construction to start work on the transformation of Imperial House in Solihull next month.

It marks the start of construction on the final phase of Princes Gate project, with the development of ‘Imperial House’ comprising 60 luxury apartments on the site of a former multi-storey car park in the town.

Also due to start in June is a multi-million pound scheme for a mixed-use retail and residential development on the riverside Muller Yard location in Nottingham, an extension to the Trent Bridge Quays scheme.

Construction of 44 apartments and 14 town houses, along with 5,000 sq ft of commercial space, will be delivered by Leicester-based Bode Contracting.

The final appointment will see Telford-based Bespoke Construction Services Ltd take on a landmark project to bring an historic site in Birmingham’s Gun Quarter back to life.

Gunsmith House, in Price Street, will be restored as part of the overall development that will deliver 85 new homes to the area.

Steve Dodd, of Elevate Property Group, said all three contractor appointments reflected the company’s commitment to working with regional partners on developments which revitalise communities. The build cost for the three projects is in excess of £32 million.

James Costello, Elevate’s Development Director added “We’re proud to be leading the way in the redevelopment of several sites across the Midlands, including investing in high-profile locations in Birmingham, supporting the UK’s heartland to recover post-pandemic.

“We want to partner with contractors who share our values and our vision for delivering exceptional projects of outstanding quality. The appointment of Kavanagh Construction, Bespoke Construction Services and Bode Contracting reflects this commitment and will give confidence to investors, buyers and ultimately the communities where our developments come to life.”

Aiden O’Gara, of Kavanagh Construction, said: “We’re currently working with Elevate on its prestigious Heaton House development in Birmingham, so we are delighted to be continuing this working partnership with a new contract to develop Imperial House at Princes Gate.”

Bode Contracting, which is currently delivering Elevate’ Priory House development, will develop the Muller Yard phase of the Nottingham Trent Bridge scheme, due for completion Q3/Q4 2023. Dan Bodell said: “We have a great working relationship with Elevate and are looking forward to this continuing with the delivery of the upcoming Muller Yard scheme”.

Arran Summerfield, of Bespoke Construction, said: “It’s fantastic to be involved in delivering this landmark project for Elevate in the heart of Birmingham’s gun-making industry”. The project is expected to be completed in late 2023.”

Funding for all these developments has been provided by Paragon and Pluto Development Finance.

5G, News

Wireless Infrastructure Group deploys major neutral host infrastructure project across Birmingham anchored by Three’s 5G network

17 May 2022 – Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) today announces the launch of a significant new infrastructure project set to transform mobile connectivity across Birmingham. WIG has deployed its own fibre backbone across the city and partnered with Birmingham City Council to connect up tens of thousands of streetscape assets for mobile infrastructure.

WIG’s neutral host network infrastructure can support all mobile networks and has been anchored by Three UK running 5G services and creating the UK’s first large-scale 5G centralised radio access network (C-RAN) to enable super-fast speeds for all Three’s customers.

WIG’s network will also play a key role in supporting the vital testing of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) on Birmingham’s streets. WIG has developed this complex project in its role as lead communications infrastructure partner to Midlands Future Mobility – the organisation responsible for the UK’s largest real world test bed for CAVs.

WIG’s CEO Scott Coates commented:

‘We are delighted to have made this investment into Birmingham and to help the mobile operators as they seek to connect their customers with 5G in the busiest parts of the city.’

‘Our infrastructure has been developed to enable fast cycle times for any mobile operator looking to address capacity needs across the UK’s largest and most populated metropolitan borough. Our plug and play approach will remove much of the complexity normally experienced by mobile operators when deploying in urban centres’

Three UK’s Chief Network Officer Carlo Melis commented:

‘We are excited by this project which is supporting the development of the UK’s fastest 5G network in Birmingham, ahead of the Commonwealth Games.’

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

  • Birmingham-wide 5G C-RAN network utilising WIG-owned fibre back-bone enabling ultra-low latency capability with fibre fronthaul.
  • Contiguous high speed and high capacity 4G and 5G services from Birmingham International Airport through to the city centre.
  • Future-proof, multi-operator, multi-technology architecture that will support 5G in standalone and non-standalone modes.
  • Long-term agreement for WIG and its customers to utilise tens of thousands of assets owned by Birmingham City Council.
  • Deployment of long-term sustainable infrastructure solutions, supporting small cells and making use of existing street furniture.
  • Three UK customers already benefitting from 4G and 5G delivered by the infrastructure with service throughput in excess 1Gb/s. Three’s initial deployment area includes city centre capacity hot spots together with contiguous high speed and high-capacity services across 20kms of the busiest parts of the Midlands Future Mobility testbed route.

More information at https://www.wirelessinfrastructure.co.uk/case-studies/west-midlands-5G-CRa

Midlands News, News

West Midlands Mayor backs Grayson Thermal Systems to become global electrification leader

Hundreds of jobs could be created in the West Midlands with zero-emission technology advancements creating global export opportunities for Grayson Thermal Systems.

That was the clear message presented to Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, during a recent visit to the firm’s Tyseley base, with bosses at the 44-year-old firm convinced that the switch to greener transport solutions presents a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity for their company and the region as a whole.

Managing Director Stuart Hateley believes the area’s traditional strengths in innovation and R&D are already paving the way for new contracts across the world and wants the Government to get behind this drive by making sure that all publicly funded projects feature initiatives that ensure UK-produced goods are given a boost.

His own company is doing its bit, recently investing £2m in R&D, employee upskilling and state-of-the-art testing technology to help it bring a range of zero-emission vehicle products to market that are now being sold into the battery, electric and hydrogen fuel cell, on-highway, off-highway and rail markets.

These solutions are headlined by its Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS), which keeps zero emission vehicles batteries at a stable temperature improving efficiency and extending life.

There has also been significant interest in its complete Vehicle Thermal Management System (VTMS), MagDrive Pump and Electric Water Heater, the latter providing an instant source of clean heat generation that can be transferred for passenger or driver comfort.

“West Midlands manufacturers have really embraced the electrification drive and are exploring ways where they can take conventional technology and transform it into products that will help OEMs achieve zero emission targets,” commented Stuart, who runs Grayson Thermal Systems with his brothers Ian and James.

“From the beginning of 2021 we have enjoyed significant success in the UK, mainland Europe, North America and even further afield with our new suite of products and this is just the start…the potential is huge, with £millions of contracts up for grabs that could create hundreds of jobs here and throughout the supply chain.”

He continued: “It was great to welcome Andy Street to look at our technology developments, which have led to our recent successes and discuss ways in which we could work together to ensure that Government-funded projects deliver even more benefit to the local area.

“A lot of the time it is about making the powers that be aware of what we do in the region and the amazing technical expertise and proven technology we have on our doorstep.

“The conversations were very positive and there was a genuine desire from all parties to explore ways where we could accelerate the development of the region’s ‘electric’ supply chain, boosting domestic and international trade in the process.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, added his support: “We have a unique opportunity to lead the UK in electrification and the Green Industrial Revolution, and we’ve already enjoyed several funding successes that will help build a more sustainable future – not least when it comes to transport infrastructure.

“But we must continue to explore ways in which we can ensure the full benefit of our greener future can be felt by local businesses, who have the technology, skills and expertise required to bring our plans to life.

“The visit to Grayson Thermal Systems gave me a first-hand insight into the technology we have here in the West Midlands and the opportunities this can bring both locally and on a global scale, as well as the challenges faced by our regional manufacturers. I look forward to continuing to work with firms like Grayson Thermal Systems as we drive the West Midlands forward into a new era.”

Birmingham-based Grayson Thermal Systems has bounced back from the pandemic and is enjoying a surge of new projects, contract wins and orders for its zero-emission range of thermal management products.

Group turnover will grow by another 15% in 2022 and more than 40 new jobs have already been created, with further positions now available across engineering, operations and administration.