The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

Bank funding secured Sheffield-based Charles Day (Steels) with new jobs expected Sheffield-based Charles Day (Steels) has invested £1.5m in laser cutting machines which will allow it to cut yellow metal and expand into new markets, after securing £1.5m funding from HSBC.  The company has created four new jobs as a result of the investment.  It employs 50 workers with further jobs expected.

200 new jobs in Partington, South Manchester A £300m investment in Europe’s most advanced paper manufacturing facility at SAICA PM11 plant at Partington, South Manchester has created 200 jobs and represents the biggest share of £500m invested in the UK by the family owned Spanish company since 2006.

New investment signals business expansion for Leeds-based boiler and central heating installation specialist A Leeds-based boiler and central heating installation specialist, Help-Link has secured an investment from NorthEdge Capital.  The funding is to be used to accelerate Help-Links growth plans to increase its market share of the private boiler installations market.  It will also allow them to capitalise on the governments Affordable Warmth scheme, designed to combat fuel poverty.  Turnover £13.9m employing 600 staff

Architects merge in new Birmingham office with potential new jobs AFL Architects and S&P have merged to form AFLS+P, creating a firm with offices throughout the UK and Ireland employing 100 staff. The merger will allow the firm to extend its reach nationally and internationally.  A new office will be opened in Birmingham in May 2013, potentially creating employment opportunities.

£52m of contracts brings potential new jobs at Aramark Scotland and Offshore Aramark Scotland and Offshore has secured a £27m contract with oil and gas group Total E&P. Aramark will provide services such as catering and cleaning, to three North Sea platforms.  Aramark has also secured a £25m contract with Airbus for catering and concierge services.  The contracts could create employment opportunities. Turnover £341.4m, 10,990 employees.

Wind farm operating at Penny Hill Barlborough-based Banks Renewables is now operating its £21.9m Penny Hill wind farm.  The 6-turbine scheme is now producing renewable energy and around 30 jobs have been created on site through construction.  The latest Department of Energy and Climate Change figures show that wind power generated 5.5 per cent of the UKs electricity needs in 2012, compared to 4 per cent in 2011.  Turnover £54.6m employing 364 staff.

70 new jobs in Belfast at Boston based Merchant Warehouse Boston based Merchant Warehouse is to set up a Technology Development and Customer Support Centre creating 70 new jobs in Belfast.  The firm provides payment technologies and merchant services to around 80,000 merchant customers.  Invest Northern Ireland has offered £840,000 of assistance towards the job creation.

York green energy scheme approved bringing 256 construction jobs and 56 full time jobs City of York Councils planning committee has backed Peel Environmentals plans for an anaerobic digestion plant, which will use organic waste to produce power for about 3,500 homes and horticultural glasshouses, on the former North Selby Mine site, near Deighton, Escrick and Wheldrake.  The scheme will create 256 construction jobs and 56 full-time and 50 seasonal roles, increase Yorks economy by about £2.2 million a year, reduce carbon emissions and increase recycling.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £50m management buyout at D&D London D&D London is to undergo a £50m management buyout, supported by LDC private equity.  The MBO will fund D&Ds UK and overseas expansion and enhancement of its restaurant portfolio. LDC will buy out vendors Conran Holdings and private equity investors Caird Capital.  Senior management will retain their investment in D&D.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Doncaster-based Imperial Automotive refinances with Barclays Doncaster-based Imperial Automotive, which supplies parts to the automotive trade, has secured a new partnership with Barclays and secured funding to support its growth plans. Imperial employs 160 staff and expects turnover of £15m for 2013.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Three new sites acquired by Doncaster-headquartered vehicle recycling company Doncaster-headquartered vehicle recycling company Motorhog, has acquired three new sites after securing an £8m funding package from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking in Sheffield.  The company has increased sales from £2.4m to £24m during the last 12 years and employs 180 staff

New office and new jobs at eResponse Recruitment in Kidderminster eResponse Recruitment has opened its new training centre and recruitment offices in Kidderminster creating 7 jobs, which it hopes will help hundreds of local jobseekers find vacancies.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £35m debt facility secured by Begbies Traynor Financial service firm Begbies Traynor has agreed a new £35m debt facility with a club of backers.  The new facilities comprise two £10m revolving credit facilities with HSBC and Santander, both of which mature in July 2017.  There is also a £10m term facility with M&G UK Companies Financing Fund 2, with £5m maturing in April 2020 and £5m maturing a year later.  Making up the new package is a £5m overdraft, also with HSBC.  The company has a net debt of £18.3m.

High street baker Greggs expanding into supermarket retail with potential new jobs High street baker Greggs is to build a new frozen savouries factory in Hinckley, Leicestershire, as it pursues its store expansion plan and continues its expansion into packaged supermarket retail. The expansion could create employment opportunities. Turnover £701m, 19,180 employees.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £43m refinancing for holiday home manufacturer Willerby Holiday Homes Holiday home manufacturer Willerby Holiday Homes has completed a £43m refinancing with support from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.  The refinancing strengthens the balance sheet and provides additional capacity to support new product development. Willerby, which is the largest holiday home manufacturer in the UK, is expanding in Europe.

Major redevelopment contract secured bringing potential new jobs for Taylor Wimpey in Wigan Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is preferred bidder on a 44-acre residential development for the Homes and Communities Agency in Wigan.  Employment opportunities could be created by the development, which includes 474 residential units and 10,000 sq. ft. of non-residential accommodation including a community building, café, retail units and a 40-berth marina.

£100m sales and business expansion at Leeds based Allied Glass Leeds based Allied Glass, who specialise in the design and manufacturing of specialist bottles, has said that demand from overseas markets has helped the company to break the £100m sales barrier for the first time.  The company backed by private equity group Equistone Partners, saw turnover rise to £102m for the financial year ending December 2012.  To help the business they have just taken on a French speaking Business Development Manager and a multi lingual sales officer.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Acquisition of private equity business London-based Blackstone Group is to buy a private equity business with $9bn dollars of assets under management, from Swiss bank Credit Suisse.  The Strategic Partners unit specialises in buying and selling stakes in private equity funds.

Funding brings 55 new jobs at Mango Direct Marketing Limited Mango Direct Marketing Limited is creating 55 new jobs with the support of Invest Northern Ireland's Jobs Fund.  The £165K funding will enable the company to take on major new contracts.

New product launch at Nitesite brings proposed jobs Night vision products manufacturer Nitesite is expecting to double turnover and create new jobs with the launch of a new invention.  NiteSite, which has been supported by the Manufacturing Advisory Service, has developed the NiteSite Spotter.  The company is entering full production on the device and will officially launch it to the marketplace in June. Sales are expected to hit £800,000 this year.

Venture Capita: Nine clinch growth funding at Plymouth University Nine small and medium-sized businesses in the South West have secured cash from the first round of Plymouth University's growth fund awards and are set to create 95 new jobs.  A total of £843,223 has been awarded to Colour Express, COSMIC, Original Pasty House, Otter Brewery, Plymouth Kitchen Company, Rebecca Garrett Media, Scanstrut, Teignbridge Propellers and Underhill Engineering.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £75m loan for North Yorkshire’s Drax Power Station North Yorkshires Drax Power Station is the 1st company to get a loan from the governments £40b infrastructure guarantee scheme. Drax have used the guarantee to agree a cheaper debt deal with Friends Life, which is proving a £75m loan maturing in 2018.  The loan is to part finance a £700m project to convert 3 of 6 plants to greener biomass fuels.  Other financing for the project will come from the Prudential and the Green Investment Bank.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: 1m Investment - Business Expansion Oxford University will get  £1m of investment in the next two years to fund a centre to tackle cybercrime. According to the Government more than 120,000 cyber attacks are launched every day against computers in Britain, which are thought to cost the country up to £27bn.

Venture Capital: Investment in Liverpool law firm Personal injury specialist Vantage Law is expanding with further support from Merseyside Special Investment Fund.

Venture Capita: Investment secured by personal injury specialist Vantage Law bringing new jobs Personal injury specialist Vantage Law is expanding with further support from Merseyside Special Investment Fund.  To maintain the company's level of service they need to bring in someone else and needed working capital to enable it.

£80m green energy plant at Trecwn means 50 jobs created along with 150 construction jobs Plans for an 80 million renewable energy power plant at Trecwn would create at least 50 fulltime jobs. The plan would also see around 150 local workers being involved in the two-year construction operation. The company behind the scheme, Renewable Developments (Wales) Ltd, in conjunction with Manhattan Loft Corporation Ltd, will hold an open day at the site.

Primark Newcastle and Manchester store expansion programme means potential new jobs Primark is to complete extensions to its Newcastle and Manchester stores in 2013-14, adding 100,000 sq. ft. of space and potentially creating new jobs. Sales at the discount clothing company in the six months to March 2013 were up by 244% on 2012 at £1.99bn. Primark has 257 stores in total.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £9.5m funding secured for acquiring Bristol corporate intelligence firm - Protection Group International, a Bedfordshire-based risk-management and security company, is acquiring corporate intelligence business Olton Ltd, based in Bristol, following a period of rapid growth. It has secured funding from Santander for the acquisition and to diversify the business.  650 employees, £62m turnover.

16 new jobs in Carlisle in Schuh standalone store Schuh are opening their first standalone store in Carlisle, creating 16 new permanent jobs for the area. The company, turnover £168m, will open the new store in The Lanes Shopping Centre during July 2013. Total employees 1461.

£1.5bn Whitby mining project brings at least 1000 new jobs Sirius Minerals, a mining company who plan to extract potash and create 1000 new jobs at their site in Whitby, are pushing ahead with proposals for the 1.5bn project. The company, headed by MD Chris Fraser, hope to commence later this year.

Tesco confirms commitment to new Herne Bay store Tesco have confirmed that plans will continue for their Herne Bay store despite pulling the plug on 100 other stores that were planned. The company's profits have fallen for the first time in 20 years, but the Kent store is still sure to go ahead. Tesco employ 400,000 people and have a turnover of £42bn.

2000 jobs at new Scottish innovation centres Three new innovation centres are planned in a 30m investment by the Scottish government, creating over 2000 jobs over the next 5 years. The centres will develop healthcare and life sciences at sites in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Venture Capital: Watertronix raises funding Watertronix Ltd, a UK-based developer of a new method for treating swimming pool water, raised £150k in funding.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £220,000 funding for Wilmslow based Starfish 360 Wilmslow based Starfish 360 a digital commerce specialist has secured a £220,000 investment package from The North West Fund to invest in its growth plans.  The funding is going to be used to expand its skill base and forge new partnerships.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Business expansion funding for Yorkshire cake making company Exquisite Handmade Cakes Yorkshire cake making company Exquisite Handmade Cakes have secured £50,000 of funding to put towards new machinery through a peer-to-peer online business-lending platform. The company turned to Leeds based Rebuildingsociety.com after going down the traditional route failed.  Turnover £1.6m and employs 31 staff. Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk