The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

Waste wood recycling facility brings 20 new jobs to South Yorkshire Wood recycling business Plevin plans to open a £5m waste wood recycling centre in South Yorkshire which will create 20 jobs and process up to 150,000 tonnes of waste wood a year.  The facility will primarily produce recycled wood chips for energy giant EON's £120m renewable energy plant at Blackburn Meadows near Sheffield, with Plevin the exclusive suppliers of fuel for the biomass-fired facility.

650 jobs created at Allstate Northern Ireland 650 jobs are to be created by technology company Allstate Northern Ireland.  The expansion is being assisted by Invest Northern Ireland, which has offered up over £4.5m of support.

Secondary buyout at Adel Professional as MD steps down Adel Professional has undergone a secondary buyout, with Derek Kemp taking full control of the supplier to the hair and beauty market.   Adel, which has nine branches, was the subject of a buy-in management buyout in 2007 by Derek Kemp and Roger Tyler.  Despite stepping down from his role as managing director, Tyler will continue to work closely with the business in a consultant role.

Barbour creating jobs in North East factory expansion Clothing manufacturer Barbour has received 549,000 from the government’s Regional Growth Fund, allowing it to create jobs and raise the profile of the brand internationally.  Factory and warehouse facilities in the North East will be extended. Turnover £121.6m, 670 employees.

20 new jobs at Innovation Birmingham Campus Comux UK, the not-for-profit business selected by Ofcom to build and operate the local TV broadcasting platform, will be located at Birmingham Science Park. Twenty jobs will be created as a result. The Ofcom licence has been awarded to Comux for 12 years, which coincides with the lease term taken out on the space at the Innovation Birmingham Campus.

40 new jobs at Prime Structures Conservatory company Prime Structures is creating at least 40 new jobs and moving to larger premises after securing a new £500,000 financing package with Santander to support its growth plans.

Derby-based JD7 Technology recruiting staff for Thailand contract Derby-based JD7 Technology, which designs CCTV and NDT technologies to assess problems on water mains, has secured a £200,000 order with Bangkok water authority MWA. The growing company has employed 2 apprentices and an electronics engineer, with further recruitment expected. It may seek new premises to support expansion.  £1.6m turnover, 10 employees.

Devon-based Kingsmill Timber creating new jobs Devon-based Kingsmill Timber is expanding and doubling its five-strong workforce. The shop floor will be doubled in size in order to increase timber sales.  The company has invested £30,000 in new warehouse racking and a delivery van.

Dungannon-based Linden Foods creating 179 new jobs at Granville Dungannon-based Linden Foods is expanding operations in a £5 million investment.  A total of 179 posts, including managerial and production roles, have been created. The expansion of the workforce comes two years after the company built a new facility adjacent to its main processing site at Granville.

Engineering and environmental consultancy Merebrook opens Manchester office with jobs created Engineering and environmental consultancy Merebrook is opening an office in Manchester, its fifth UK base. The expansion has created 3 new jobs and will facilitate two new business development streams, mechanical engineering and nuclear energy consultancy services.

Gestamp Tallent, based in County Durham, creating 320 jobs Gestamp Tallent, based in County Durham, has secured £3.75m from the government Regional Growth Fund to procure robot-welding assembly lines.  The investment will increase its capacity for chassis products for the UK and Europe. It will create 320 new jobs and safeguard a similar number. Turnover £452.6m, 1,900 employees.

Graham Construction secures contract for new fire HQ and call centre in Calcot with potential new jobs Graham Construction has secured a £3.8m contract to refurbish a storage unit in Calcot to create new headquarters for Berkshire Fire Authority.  Work should be completed by spring 2014.  All 999 calls for the Thames Valley will also be handled in the refurbished building. The development could create job opportunities.

MD appointed at Henderson Insurance Brokers Henderson Insurance Brokers has appointed experienced insurance industry professional Steve Barrett to the role of managing director.  Henderson Insurance Brokers operates from 11 offices and an annual turnover of £21.5m.

New Yorkshire office means 200 new jobs at Hermes Hermes, the national home-delivery retailer, has moved their customer services team to new premises in Capitol Park, Yorks, creating 200 new jobs. The company, CEO Carole Woodhead, will take on 13,500 sq. ft. in addition to the 30,000 sq. ft. they occupy at Capitol House on the site. Turnover £261.7m.

New office in Lancaster brings 51 new jobs at JBW JBW, the national credit-enforcing company, are opening a new operational base in Lancaster creating 51 field agent jobs. The company, chief operating officer Lee Brown, has expansion plans and the new office will be dedicated to the Northwest. Turnover £7.7m.

Northampton business Lifting Systems gets new premises with new jobs created Northampton business Lifting Systems, which manufactures crane supporting structures has purchased new premises to consolidate the company in one location with the help of more than £500,000 bank funding.  The company has 35 members of staff and is currently recruiting 5 new employees.

40 new jobs at Northampton-based Freefoam Plastics Northampton-based Freefoam Plastics has acquired three more sites in Northampton.  Since it opened its Northampton base in 2001 sales have grown from £4m to £25.4m, and staff numbers have grown from 18 to 90. The latest expansion will create 40 more jobs.

Recruitment and HR consultancy Exclusive expansion creates jobs Recruitment and HR consultancy Exclusive is expanding its Newcastle and Aberdeen operations after securing a five-figure investment from NEL Fund Managers. The firm aims to treble turnover over three years and is to recruit new staff with specialist industry experience. It is also upgrading IT infrastructure and doubling the size of its Newcastle office.

New management team at Appleyard Lees Specialist patent and trademark law firm Appleyard Lees has promoted Joanne King to managing director as part of a new management structure. Five other managers have also been appointed. The restructuring is expected to help the firm achieve its expansion strategy.

ERDF grant secures 22 jobs at Sub10 Systems, a telecoms equipment company in Devon Sub10 Systems, a telecoms equipment company in Devon, is to create 22 new jobs and develop a new product after securing a grant from the European Regional Development Fund. The £236,000 grant is part of a £1m investment in UK research and development, testing and manufacture. 40 employees.

Centre expansion at The University of Bristol brings 250 new jobs The University of Bristol's National Composite Centre is undergoing the second phase of construction, doubling the centre's size and creating 50 NCC jobs, 50 roles within member organisations and 150 during construction. The project is being supported by £28m government funding.

Financial Director appointed at Total Fitness Total Fitness, the Cheshire-based leisure clubs operator, has appointed Andy Mellor as finance director. Mr Mellor will form a new executive team with chief executive Richard Millman.  In the first quarter of the financial year the company delivered 4.6% growth in net membership and profit delivery ahead of both business plan and prior year.

New Non-executive Chairman appointed at Turbo Power Systems Turbo Power Systems, a Tyne & Wear based electrical motor manufacturer, recorded a 17% fall in 2013 first quarter revenue to £3.8m because of lower production volumes associated with the timing of orders for industrial products. Costs were up, reflecting the expansion of its Gateshead base. Jose Francisco de Azevedo has been appointed non-executive chairman.

New processing plant brings 10 new jobs at Ward Recycling Ward Recycling has built a new 750k glass processing plant in Middlesbrough, creating 2m in sales and up to 10 new jobs. The project has been supported by the Manufacturing Advisory Service and Teesside University. The company employs 140 people.

Contract brings new jobs Wigan food manufacturer Poole’s Pies Wigan food manufacturer Poole’s Pies is aiming to create hundreds of jobs and grow turnover to £100M from an almost standing start. The company has secured a contract for five of its frozen pie lines to be stocked by more than 500 Asda stores.  The company currently has a turnover of around £12m.

68 new jobs at Wrightbus manufacturing plant in Northern Ireland Wrightbus have opened a manufacturing plant in Northern Ireland to build the chassis for the New Bus for London.  The order for 600 state-of-the-art hybrid buses is set to safeguard 220 jobs - including 50 new roles and 18 apprenticeships

New Omagh Care Unit brings 20 new jobs Zest Care Homes Limited, providers of residential care for the elderly, are creating 20 new jobs at the Three Rivers Care Centre in Omagh when they open a new unit for vulnerable adults, expanding their services to mental-health sufferers who are over 18. Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk