The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

99p Stores to expand into Scotland creating 500 new jobs Northampton-headquartered discount retailer 99p Stores is to expand into Scotland for the first time, creating 500 jobs over three years. The retailer plans to open 25 Scottish stores, starting with a £250,000 store in Ayr, which is expected to open in May 2013. Turnover £270.2m, 3,440 employees.

£12m leisure scheme for Yate brings 150 new jobs A £12m leisure scheme for Yate is being proposed which could create more than 150 jobs. Dominion Corporate Trustees, the current owner of Yate Shopping Centre has launched a consultation to develop land into leisure area to include 6-screen cinema, 6 restaurants and food outlets and 3 retail units.

£300m energy plant means 750 new jobs in Billingham A new £300m energy from waste plant is to be built in Billingham, Tees Valley, creating up to 700 jobs during construction and 50 permanent jobs, after a deal was signed between government and Air Products.  This is the second plant of its kind in Teesside and next to the earlier Air Products venture. The first represented an investment of £300m, and Air Products expects to invest a similar amount in this second project.  Turnover £561.1m and employ 1920 staff.

Advanced Resource Managers’ UK expansion plans mean potential new jobs Advanced Resource Managers, an IT and engineering recruitment firm, has opened a new office in Coventry, West Midlands, which will be headed by regional Manager Richard Sutcliffe. The firm plans to continue its expansion, opening further offices in other parts of the UK, with new jobs expected. 200 staff, £125m turnover.

UTC Swindon contract could mean new jobs BAM Construction has been appointed to work on designs for a university technological college (UTC) in Swindon, Wiltshire.  The UTC is being sponsored by Johnson Matthey Fuel Cells and Oxford Brookes University. Building work is scheduled to begin in autumn 2013.  The contract could create employment opportunities.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Business expansion for Cleaning company Maid Marion’s Cleaning company Maid Marion’s is moving to larger premises in Redditch, West Midlands, following a commercial mortgage offer from Santander. The new unit will provide improved office space for management, meeting, training and storage space.  The company recently gained contracts with Taylor Wimpey and the Abbey Stadium.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: HSBC sponsorship secured by East Midlands International Trade Association East Midlands International Trade Association (Emita) has gained HSBC bank as a sponsor for 2013. Emita aims to further increase exports from the East Midlands region, which grew to £18.3bn in 2012, up from £17.7bn in the previous year. The partnership with HSBC will allow Emita to increase its support to local companies.

Elecomm HQ and warehouse expansion means potential new jobs Elecomm, a communications electrical and mechanical contractor, is expanding its head office and warehousing operation by moving from Rotherham to a 7,250 sq. ft. unit at Beighton Link Business Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, on a five-year lease.  Jobs could be created as a result of the expansion, which follows an increase in business.

Cumbria business park expansion means 200 potential new jobs Greengarth Business Park in Cumbria will be doubled in size in a £3m investment. Five two-storey office blocks, providing 500,000 sq. ft. of floor space will be added, creating 150 construction jobs. The business park employs 12 people directly, providing site services, which could increase to 60 when the scheme is completed.

Howard Tenens Cheshire new warehouse creates potential new jobs Howard Tenens, a supply chain management company, has taken a 5-year lease on a 175,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Cheshire as part of its expansion strategy.  Jobs could be created at the new premises.  Turnover £50m, 460 employees.

KPMG Glasgow' tax centre brings 150 new jobs KPMG are creating 150 jobs with the opening of a new tax centre of excellence in Glasgow's International Financial Services District.  The centre will open in the summer and handle work from the firm's 22 UK offices.  A 10-year lease has been signed.

60 new jobs at Omega Warrington for Leeds based delivery specialist Hermes Leeds based delivery specialist Hermes is investing £25m in a state-of-the-art parcel distribution hub on the Omega Warrington site, creating 60 new jobs.  The purpose built 15,000 sq. metre hub is due for completion in 2014 will have the capacity of 560,000 parcels a day, almost 3 times that of their existing site.  Turnover £261.7m and employ 1324 staff.

£25m airport and service expansion at Lydd Airport in Kent means potential new jobs London Ashford Airport Ltd has secured government approval for the £25m expansion of Lydd Airport in Kent. The airport plans to construct a £294m runway extension, a £150m starter extension, and a new terminal with capacity for 500,000 passengers annually, potentially creating new jobs and business opportunities.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Fledglings opens fourth nursery Manchester-based nursery chain Fledglings has opened a new nursery in Stockport, its fourth childcare facility.  The expansion was backed with funding from Royal Bank of Scotland. Fledglings already operate nurseries in Irlam, Worsley and Stretford.

Gas Power Plant contract means 25 new jobs in Ireland Merseyside-based Clarke Energy has secured a contract with utility company Bord na Mna to deliver a landfill gas power plant at Drehid in Ireland.  Construction of the plant will create 25 jobs. Turnover £207.7m, 715 employees.

11,000 new jobs from English Cities Fund major commercial development Phase 1 of a multimillion-pound project is being delivered by English Cities Fund, a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General, Homes and Communities Agency and Salford City Council.  14 townhouses, 83 apartments and commercial premises are being built. Bringing 11000 jobs with an investment of £6.8m.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Pure Gym expansion funding secured Pure Gym, the Yorkshire-headquartered gym chain, almost doubled turnover in the year to February 2013, after gaining 90,000 members and increasing its gym network to 42. Turnover increased by £13.8m to £30.6m. Pre-tax profit fell from £1.2m to £552,024. The company has amended the repayment profile of a loan from Barclays to support its growth plans.

Shepherd Construction Leeds office development contract brings potential new jobs Shepherd Construction has secured a 5.5m contract with property company MEPC to create a 35,000 sq. ft. office development in Leeds. Shepherd Construction will build a five-storey building around a new public square, as part of the expansion of the Wellington Place office development. The contract could create employment opportunities.

50 new jobs for Taunton as Creative Foods acquired Taunton company Ministry of Cake is creating 50 new jobs in the town over the next six months after buying a rival Torquay operation Creative Foods.  The acquisition will see turnover rise from £22.5m to £30m.

500 new jobs at Teleperformance in Scotland Teleperformance, an operator of call centres, is to create up to 500 jobs in Scotland before the end of 2013 as it benefits from strong demand across the private and public sectors.  The Paris based group has generated £2bn in revenues last year and employs 7,400 people in the UK.

450 jobs created at the Hica care group in Hull The Hica care group in Hull is to create 450 jobs as it embarks on its £21m expansion programme.  As part of the group's long-term strategic plan, Hica will build five new specialist dementia care homes over the next few years in Hull and East Yorkshire.

£3m dairy contract means potential new jobs in Lostwithiel, Cornwall Trewithen Cornish Farm Dairy has appointed Midas Construction and Moody Systems to carry out £3m of expansion works at its site in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, as part of a £11.4m project, which began in 2009. Jobs could be created as a result of the contract.

New jobs at vehicle hire firm Northgate Vehicle hire firm Northgate, with a depot in Swansea has increased its workforce in the region.  The company has appointed four new business managers to its Wales and South West based depots to drive continued growth within the regions.

First Solutions acquisition means potential new jobs Wiltshire-based IT Solutions has purchased Hampshire-based First Solutions, as part of its expansion strategy.  IT Solutions is also building a new 3,000 sq. ft. office in Wiltshire, which is due for completion in May 2013. The expansion could create employment opportunities.

New jobs at Worcestershire toolmaker, Auto Service Tools Worcestershire toolmaker, Auto Service Tools, is to expand after securing a new finance agreement worth almost £1m. The company is creating eight new jobs as it looks to capitalise on export opportunities.  The firm is using its increased levels of working capital to help with the relocation of its production facilities back from China and India to Redditch. This will ensure the business has greater control over delivery times and quality, and will ultimately create up to eight new jobs. Funding is also being used to purchase new production equipment, including state-of-the-art machining centres for the new factory.

100 new construction jobs on expansion of the Potteries Shopping Centre Work is due to begin on a £15 million expansion of the Potteries Shopping Centre, which is owned by Intu Properties.  The development will create almost 100 jobs during construction, and a further 185 jobs once the development is open in 2015.

Business growth funding secured by Yorkshire-based yarn warehouse, Texere Yarns bringing new jobs Yorkshire-based yarn warehouse, Texere Yarns, is expanding with support from Bradford Council. The company plans to improve its online service and create two new posts with the help of the Business Growth scheme, which is part of the £35m Bradford City Centre Growth Zone initiative. Texere is also planning to improve its premises. www.theukknackgroup.co.uk Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk