The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £1.6m funding secured by Liverpool crane company A Liverpool crane company has secured £1.6m funding to expand its fleet to service North West contracts.  This latest funding was provided by Allied Irish Bank and brings the company's total investment over the past six months to £4m.

£100m Investment in Humber Ports brings 100 new construction Jobs Associated British Ports has signed a 15-year contract with Drax Power which will lead to terminal investments of up to £100m to handle wood pellet shipments at its Humber Ports of Immingham, Hull and Goole.  The project will generate approximately 100 jobs at ABP's Humber Ports during the construction phase and more than 100 permanent positions will be supported once the facilities become fully operational over the next few years.

1,000 new jobs in Whiteley shopping centre opening British Land is opening Whiteley Shopping Centre in Hampshire in May 2013, creating 1,000 jobs. The £84m centre was developed by British Land in partnership with USS. Recruitment is underway to fill vacancies at 50 new shops, restaurants and cafes, including Clintons, JD Sports, Starbucks, Topshop and Next.

Contemporary Oak Furniture relocates to larger warehouse with potential new jobs Contemporary Oak Furniture is relocating to a 40,953 sq. ft. warehouse building at Nova Centre in Avonmouth, as part of its expansion strategy. It is relocating from a 16,000 sq. ft. warehouse to the larger unit.  The expansion could create employment opportunities.

£1m factory expansion in Wishaw, Lanarkshire brings 50 new jobs ENE Group is creating 50 jobs at its factory in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, following its acquisition of modular construction firm Powerwall out of administration in August 2012.  The company has separated Powerwall into Enemetric, focused on modular buildings, and Enewall, which makes pre-mixed renders, and is investing £1m to expand the Wishaw factory.

Loungers Ltd opening Dorchester branch with 30 new jobs Loungers Ltd is opening a new cafe-bar in Dorchester, Dorset, in May 2013, as part of its on-going expansion.  Thirty jobs will be created at the new outlet. The national chain offers informal, neighbourhood food and drinks. Turnover 15m, 420 employees.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £3m funding package awarded to Elite Transport Services in the North West North West haulage business Elite Transport has secured a new £3m funding package from Bibby Financial Services.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: 14 new jobs - creating 2 managerial posts - 10m contract secured Northern Ireland-based SAM Mouldings has secured a 10m contract to supply mouldings, skirting boards and architraves to UK DIY retailer Wickes for distribution to 200 outlets.  It is creating 14 new jobs as a result of the contract is recruiting two managers with the help of 21,600 of funding from Invest NI. Turnover 12.5m, 80 employees.

£18m investment in Blackwood brings 70 New Jobs Packaging manufacturer Seda UK is to make a multimillion-pound investment at its Blackwood facility and create 70 new jobs.  Seda UK, part of Italian business Seda International Packaging Group, is to invest £18m at the site in Caerphilly supported with £5.4m business finance from the Welsh Government.  The investment will also safeguard more than 170 jobs.

Rossendale care village development creates 94 jobs Park Lane & Co Developers is planning to build a care village in Rossendale, Lancashire, which could create 94 jobs for managers, care assistants and support staff. The village would comprise apartments and a specialist care unit for people with acquired brain injuries and those with similar needs.

Private equity funding secured by postal operator Secured Mail for service expansion and new jobs Postal operator Secured Mail has secured further funding from private equity firm Next Wave Partners to support expansion of its home shopping packet service, including investment into machinery and new jobs at its Northamptonshire sorting office. Turnover in 2013 is expected to grow to £80m, up from £48m in 2011.

Sheffield-based Fluent Communication secures funding secured to create 40 jobs Sheffield-based Fluent Communication, an IT lead generation company, is relocating to new premises and tripling its workforce after securing an investment of 210,000 from the Finance Yorkshire Equity Linked Fund.  The company also plans to upgrade its IT infrastructure. Paul Edgeley has been appointed as a director and chairman.

Management Moves: Managing Director appointed by Rockford IT Shropshire-based Managed IT Solutions Company, Rockford IT has appointed Darren Kirby as Managing Director.  Tom Sykes, Rockford ITs founder, who has held the Managing Director position until now, has moved to the role of Technical Director and will be the Chairman of the Board of Directors

100 New Jobs as Midcounties Co-operative opens Walsall   The Midcounties Co-operative is to invest in Walsall and see the creation of 100 customer service jobs to support its domestic energy supply business and the re-opening of offices.

80 new jobs as TT Assembly Systems expands into Merseyside TT Assembly Systems, a Japanese automotive supplier specialising in wheel and tyre assembly, is opening a new facility on Knowsley Industrial Park in Liverpool, creating more than 80 jobs. The site is expected to open by June 2013. Turnover £5.4m.

Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group

www.theukknackgroup.co.uk