The UK Knack Group Reviews Today’s Events ……

Potential new jobs at Doncaster-headquartered John Mee Construction Doncaster-headquartered John Mee Construction, which manufactures vacuum excavation equipment, secured six-figure funding from The Royal Bank of Scotland to move to a new 10,000 sq. ft. property in Doncaster, allowing operations to be brought under one roof. A new office will now be built at the facility.  The on-going expansion could create jobs.

New American Golf Hampshire store brings new jobs American Golf, Europe’s largest golf equipment retailer with 103 stores, is to create new jobs with the opening of a 5,500 sq. ft. store in Hampshire, replacing its old local outlet. The store has a design based on customer feedback and will be a model for future openings. Annual sales £133m

New jobs at Axiom Engineering Associates Axiom Engineering Associates, based in Stockton, are to create new jobs in the Northeast as they see company growth. The company, director Rene Hoyle, currently employs 32 people and has been supporting local schools with science and technology equipment.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £635,000 funding secured by Cardiff-based Faultcurrent Cardiff-based Faultcurrent, a Fusion IP portfolio company, has been awarded a £635,000 grant from the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The grant will enable Faultcurrent to develop and test its fault current limiter products for sale to distribution network operators and renewable energy generators.

HCL expand on IT outsourcing with 600 new jobs Ceva Logistics made a quick decision to outsource IT to India in 2008, the company has now moved its IT operations, global infrastructure and its application management and development, HCL also now provide a global helpdesk. Ceva now has 600 HCL staff working for its IT department and 750 in-house workers. It will soon add another 600 HCL staff.

New partner appointed at Clarion, the Leeds-based law firm Clarion, the Leeds-based law firm, has promoted dealmaker Jonathan Simms to partner within its corporate team.  The corporate practice has created a full service offering.  It has increased its transactional work and is running larger corporate mandates. Richard Moran heads the eight-strong corporate practice. Turnover £6.7m, 100 employees.

229 new jobs at Co Armagh pharmaceutical firm Almac Co Armagh pharmaceutical firm Almac is to invest £13.7 million across two core areas of the business at the Craigavon plant creating 229 new jobs.  Government jobs creation agency Invest Northern Ireland has offered £2 million of support.

New jobs at Coalville based Euro-Projects Recruitment Coalville based Euro-Projects Recruitment, have 5 new graduate jobs due to accelerating growth plans to meet increased demand for their specialist technical, engineering and management recruitment skills.

Management appointment  - Head of Building Surveying at Rider Levett Bucknall Cost and property consultant Rider Levett Bucknall has promoted Matthew Bromley to head of building surveying in the Midlands.  Mr Bromley will be based at the Birmingham headquarters of the firm.

80 apprenticeships available at Derbyshire County Council Derbyshire County Council is offering 80 apprenticeships in their move to boost job opportunities for local young people.  The latest apprenticeships within the council offer opportunities in 13 areas including Business Administration, Children & Young Peoples Workforce, Creative Digital Media and Customer Services.

New Multi million pound research centre brings 12 new jobs at Hampshire based Agform Hampshire based Agform are to open a new multi million pound research centre later in June 2013 which will create 12 new jobs over the next 12 months.  Agform hopes the centre, which is the culmination of three years of research and development, will lead to new product sales of more than £15m a year.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: £10m funding for Harworth Estates Harworth Estates has been awarded more than £10m in funding from the Homes and Communities Agency, in order to accelerate their 740-acre former coal-site development in Sheffield.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Partnership launches virtual engineering research programme with universities Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is partnering with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and four UK universities to launch a £10m virtual engineering research programme, as part of a 20-year strategic project to establish the UK as a leader in virtual simulation globally. JLR is providing £4m of funding for the project.

New Nuneaton facility brings new jobs Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill, the defence supplier, is to create jobs with a new satellite facility at the MIRA Technology Park near Nuneaton. The company has secured 2 Armoured Fighting Vehicles programmes, and the new premises will bring it closer to specialists in the area.

32 new jobs offered to Coventry based taxi makers  London Taxi Company who have a low level production due to start in August 2013, have created 32 new jobs after being taken over by Geely in February 2013.  The company has sold over 200 new cabs in the UK in last couple of weeks, currently has a 5-week waiting list.

Private Equity / Bank Funding: Montagu Private Equity sells Hansen Protection London-based Montagu Private Equity has exited its interest in Hansen Protection, a Norway-headquartered business, which manufactures specialist survival and personal protection, suits. Montagu Private Equity led a management buy-out of the firm in February 2011.  Hansen Protection has expanded significantly since the MBO. It is now controlled by IK Investment Partners.

700 new jobs at Marks and Spencer Marks and Spencer is to invest £200m at Stanford le Hopes DP World super port creating 700 new jobs. Moving its new distribution centre at Britain’s new global shipping gateway means the company will move millions of products directly from ships to the company’s hi-tech warehousing facility at the adjacent London Gateway Logistics Park.

Venture Capital: Full Blown Metals secures Manufacturing Advisory Service funding Newcastle-based Full Blown Metals has developed an innovative inflated metal radiator after securing strategic and financial support from the Manufacturing Advisory Service. The radiator, known as Squeeze, will be commercially launched in the UK shortly. £200,000 turnover, 2 employees.

Major marketing campaign means potential new jobs at Nicolites Nicolites, the electronic cigarette manufacturer, is launching a nationwide billboard advertising campaign to promote further sales growth. The company, which has grown to a turnover of £30m in just four years, has relocated its 65-strong workforce to a 10,000 sq. ft. headquarters and distribution centre in Birmingham. The expansion could create employment opportunities.

200-acre Tamworth site development spells new jobs St Modwen, the Birmingham-based construction company, has secured a development agreement to redevelop a 200-acre site near Tamworth into a mixed-use scheme, with jobs potentially being created. The company has a turnover of £28.3m.

New St Austell Tesco Express store brings 15 new jobs The new Tesco Express store in St Austell has received over 200 applications for 15 jobs.  However Tesco will only interview and recruit staff from the local area, to bring a community feel to the store.  The store is due to open on the 25th June 2013.

45 new jobs at new Watford HomeSense store Watford based homeware retailer, HomeSense is opening a new store in Watford, creating 45 new jobs.  The new store at Century Park will open 20th June 2013 and the first 200 shoppers will each get a £10 gift card to spend in store.

Merger with Heaton Lumb Lisle could mean jobs West Yorkshire accountancy firms, Broadhead Peel Rhodes and Heaton Lumb Lisle have merged and will now trade as BPR Heaton. The firm has plans to expand following the merger, which will allow it to compete with mid-sized competitors in nearby Leeds and Bradford. The expansion could create employment opportunities.

New Wings Training Sunderland offices bring new jobs Wings Training, based in the North-East, is to double its workforce from 4 to 8 and relocate to new premises in Sunderland, after securing a 100k contract with training specialist Step Direct. Additional support has come from the Cash Tap scheme. Penny Winter – The UK Knack Group www.theukknackgroup.co.uk