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GXO to Continue Servicing Manchester Airport After 16 Years of Partnership

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On average, GXO receives, screens and delivers over a million items a year, with goods processed on the day of receipt

GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO), the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider, announced today that it is expanding its partnership with Manchester Airport. Since 2006, GXO has been providing industry-leading logistics services to retail, food and beverage vendors at Manchester airport, helping them to deliver a great consumer experience to millions of passengers annually.

Over the past 16 years, GXO has helped Manchester Airport scale up in line with increasing demand and today the business supports more than 70 retailers and food and beverage vendors, delivering a wide range of products — including luxury goods, electronics and fresh and frozen foods — to restaurants and stores. On average, GXO receives, screens and delivers over a million items a year, with goods processed on the day of receipt.

As part of the original mandate, GXO operates a 29,000-square-foot screening and consolidation centre. Up to 80 inbound deliveries are received daily and consolidated onto GXO’s ‘last-mile’ delivery fleet. This reduces vehicle movements around the airport by as much as 75%, helping to reduce congestion, pollution from CO2 and the risk of road accidents.

“We’re proud to renew our long-standing contract with Manchester Airport,” said Gavin Williams, GXO Managing Director, UK and Ireland. “Our team provides highly flexible and responsive services that form an integral part of the airport infrastructure and leverages our extensive industry knowledge and experience with many other airside customers. We look forward to supporting Manchester Airport’s ambitious growth strategy.”

Stephen Turner, Manchester Airport Commercial Director said, “We’re pleased to extend our contract and grow our partnership with GXO which includes additional support for our latest strategic growth milestone – the opening of our Terminal 2 extension last July, which is part of our wider £1bn transformation programme. We have always been able to count on GXO’s industry experience and expertise to help us deliver a high-quality passenger experience and we look forward to building this relationship further as we recover from the pandemic.”

Technology plays a significant role in GXO’s logistics solution. The tailored IT system enables tracking and tracing products in “real time,” securing resource planning and efficiency savings. It also supports the airport’s extensive retail community by keeping stores and hospitality outlets fully stocked with the right merchandise and operational equipment at the right time 24/7 to maximise revenue and customer convenience. GXO delivers a vast range of products from frozen and fresh food to electricals, luxury fashion items and building materials for airside developments.

Hyatt Hotels Manchester Shortlisted for This is Manchester Award 2022

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The iconic Hyatt Regency Hotel and Hyatt House Manchester have been selected as a finalist at the prestigious This is Manchester Awards 2022, which seeks to showcase the ‘best of the best’ Greater Manchester has to offer.

Competing in the ‘Leading Hotel of the Year’ Award, the dual branded venue which makes up Hyatt Hotels Manchester is amongst eight fellow finalists; each highly regarded in their own rights making this a hotly contested category to judge.  The Manchester Awards 2022 are showcasing 109 finalists who have been chosen across 18 categories with awards spanning hospitality, arts and culture, fashion, tech, sports and health.

Assumpta McDonald, General Manager at Hyatt Hotels Manchester said: “To successfully launch a new dual-hotel brand when the pandemic first hit is a massive achievement and testament to the exemplary standards and commitment our team has upheld since launch.

“From providing reliable world-class customer service, to our commitment to supporting Greater Manchester’s wider community and charitable organisations, we are proud of our place at the forefront of the North-West hospitality scene and are delighted to be recognized as a finalist in these coveted awards.”

Hyatt Hotels Manchester is a striking modern landmark building just off Oxford Road in the new innovation district. The 19-storey building comprises two upscale hotels – a 212 bedroom Regency Hotel and Hyatt House; a 116 bedroom apart-hotel with first class facilities and home from home comforts making it perfect for longer stays.

Hyatt Hotels Manchester is the first of its kind in the North of England, owing to its ‘dual branded’ model of running two distinct hotel brands in one building.   The venue previously operated as Crowne Plaza & Stalybridge Suites until January 2020, when the owners began the transfer to be Hyatt branded hotels and adopt the leading levels of service standards and facilities this brings.

A hub for major corporate events and business meetings, Hyatt Regency Manchester’s boasts over 804 sq m of flexible meeting space, including a purpose-built exclusive events floor with panoramic views, makes it a popular choice for event organisers.  Well respected in the elite sporting arena, the hotel regularly accommodates high-profile sporting teams and has customer service standards that are amongst the highest in the Hyatt brand.

The awards ceremony will take place at The Hilton Hotel, Deansgate, on 3rd November 2022.

For more information, visit: https://www.thisismanchesterawards.com/the-shortlist-winners-22

Law Firm Flint Bishop secures a double win at National Credit Awards

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Time for celebrations for Flint Bishop, a law firm who was awarded two wins at the National Credit Awards, organised by MoneyAge. Already boasting a rapidly expanding portfolio of awards, the Debt Recovery team can now add the titles of ‘Legal Firm of the Year’ and ‘Debt Collection Team of the Year’ to their list – a worthy landmark success for the department and the firm.

The ceremony took place at the prestigious Waldorf Hilton in London on 20 October where Flint Bishop’s Head of Debt Services, Niall Gilhooley, and Client Relationship Manager, Pete Littlefair, accepted the awards.

The National Credit Awards reward outstanding achievements in the UK credit space and honour the exceptional professionals and firms in the many varied fields of the credit industry. Their purpose is to promote best practice to support continuing development, and of course to recognise and celebrate firms’ hard work. The National Credit Awards have had a positive impact on raising the standards within the credit arena.

The team stood out against the crowd thanks to its use of data analytics to drive recoveries. Their data rich insights help to optimise collection strategies, identify trends, assist with financial forecasting, drive improved return on investment, and identify any potential changes required to the client’s own internal credit and collections processes.

However, the panel of judges were also impressed by the team’s continued improvement initiatives, such as strategies to maximise pre-litigation collections. This approach has proven to deliver a staggering pre-litigation recovery rate that saves clients substantial amounts in costs.

Gilhooley commented: “This award represents the great strides the department has made over the past year. We are extremely proud to have been able to strike a balance between acting ethically for both our clients and their debtors while still delivering unparalleled collection results.”

Chief Executive Qamer Ghafoor added: “I am extremely proud of everyone who contributes to the continuous success of our Debt Recovery operation, which has again resulted in us being nationally recognised for our expertise within the credit industry.

“The team has been going from strength to strength and constantly challenging themselves to develop and improve the service we provide to our clients. This success has manifested from not only our continued investment in technology, but also from the incredible talent of our people.”

Cynergy Business Finance provides £150m of funding facilities in first year

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Cynergy Business Finance (CBF), the asset-based lending (ABL) arm of Cynergy Bank, has surpassed £150m in funding for UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) since its launch in September 2021.

Providing individual facilities between £200k – £20m, CBF funds against businesses’ receivables as well as plant and machinery, inventory, and property.

Since launching, CBF has supported over 100 businesses, providing versatile ABL funding facilities to help them maximise their potential. Operating across a range of different sectors, CBF is on its way to being the first-choice funding partner for aspiring SMEs.

CBF is part of the £3bn+ human-digital bank – Cynergy Bank.  The team is spearheaded by Dave Golding, Ted Winterton, Dan Burton and Paul Fraser who operate across the UK, with key operational offices in Manchester and London.  The team has quickly established itself as one of the most proactive and competitive ABL funders in the UK.

Clients include family-owned Manchester brewers, Seven Bro7hers.  A £250,000 funding line helped them to meet orders from increased demand from retailers and wholesalers, supported the launch of a new range of products and enabled the opening of new outlets in Liverpool and Manchester airport.

Dave Golding, Managing Director at CBF, said: “The team has achieved extraordinary success over the last 12 months, delivering valuable lines of funding to exciting and fast-growing businesses in the UK.  From young, family-owned businesses to more mature PE-backed corporates, we have been able to create value and facilitate growth following a difficult couple of years for UK SMEs.

“With the multitude of macro-economic and political challenges affecting businesses right now, there are lots of good businesses with great potential that are unable to access the best funding.  We are confident ABL can support many of them, and we are dedicated to making it easier for our clients and wider network to understand its value.  There are huge opportunities for businesses that embrace ABL, and we are excited to support them.”

Wellness Group Launches Tailored Business Packages for Personalised HRT Programmes

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  • Bodyline launches M Plan tailored businesses packages after successful patient trials
  • The aim is to support women through their menopause journey and redress hormonal imbalances, as well as vitamin and hormone deficits, through a clinically diagnosed menopause programme
  • Increased demand for personalised menopause treatments diagnosed through blood tests and patient specific symptoms
  • Women want to be informed where they are on their menopause journey as well as how they can relieve life-changing symptoms

Bodyline, a national medical wellness clinic group, has launched a bespoke hormone replacement treatment service, called the M Plan, to meet demand for personalised and clinically supported menopause treatments.

The private medical wellness group, with 15 years of experience of private clinical wellness treatments for women, provides the M Plan to individuals as well as tailored packages for businesses to offer to clients or menopausal employees.

Bodyline’s approach gives choice on how the patient manages the menopause. Following an initial consultation and medical history discussion, blood samples are taken and sent for analysis. At the follow up diagnosis consultation, blood test results are discussed and a personalised treatment plan, the M Plan, is agreed.

The plan includes a tailored HRT prescription, as well as vitamin supplement recommendations, lifestyle and nutrition advice – ensuring patients are maximising their health and prioritising wellbeing.

For businesses, Bodyline works in collaboration with corporate partners to design a customised corporate M Plan for clients or employees.  Bodyline recognise that there may be tailored requirements according to business needs and the company’s health and wellbeing vision and strategy.

The M Plan is supported by specialist menopause nurses providing valued support contact and ensuring that the treatment changes with the menopause symptoms.

Managing Director of Bodyline Medical Wellness Clinics, Sally-Ann Turner said “The menopause can be a daunting time in a woman’s life with severely debilitating symptoms impacting all parts of woman’s life, personally and in the workplace.  Symptoms can be both physical and mental and until diagnosed, women can spend years not knowing why they are feeling the way that they do.

“At Bodyline we realise that the menopause is unique with women experiencing individual symptoms at different times of the menopause journey.  Women are more informed about the menopause nowadays and are seeking choice.  Awareness of the menopause, quite rightly, has increased dramatically over recent years.  Women want to understand more about their own hormones during the menopause and how these can be rebalanced”.

“With the M Plan, Bodyline can diagnose, treat, and support through this naturally evolving stage of life.  Our aim is that we support women, on their personal journey, so that they can embrace this time in life and enhance their overall health and wellbeing”.

Bodyline’s M plan is really making a difference to women’s lives.  One patient reported that after long bouts of depression along with her menopause symptoms, her personalised hormone replacement treatment and support from Bodyline had changed her life!   She said, “Without being dramatic, I’m finally at peace with myself!”

Sally concluded “At Bodyline, woman do not have to wait for treatment – we don’t have wait lists, we discuss and provide choice of treatments, we ensure supply of medications, we support the menopause journey, and we care”.

Bellway installs UK’s first roof-mounted air source heat pump in pilot project

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  • Low-carbon heat pump installed in The Future Home at The University of Salford
  • Research will measure effectiveness, practical usage and running costs
  • Results could change how ASHP technology is incorporated into homes across the UK

Bellway, one of the UK’s largest housebuilders, has installed the country’s first roof-mounted air source heat pump to explore new ways to incorporate low-carbon technology into our homes.

The heat pump will be tested in Bellway’s experimental eco house, The Future Home at The University of Salford.

Air source heat pumps are expected to replace natural gas boilers in most homes when they are phased out from 2025.

They are already installed in many new homes, where they are usually fitted to, or adjacent to, an exterior wall. This can dominate the external appearance and take up valuable outdoor space.

The Future Home is being built by Bellway inside a climate-controlled chamber at the university as part of its £16M Energy House 2.0 research project, which is being part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The home will test low-carbon technologies and their impact on the cost of living.

Bellway has engineered the house to support the 200kg air source heat pump within the roof space. A second unit will be fitted to an external wall to enable comparisons to be drawn.

Jamie Bursnell, Group Technical and Innovations Manager for Bellway, said: “Installing an air source heat pump within a loft space is a bold move – one that no UK developer or retrofit project has previously attempted.

“During the research period we will have people living within the home to test the performance of the heat pump during real-life use. If the unit in the loft performs well, it could create a new way for homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint without compromising on space or aesthetics.

“It is well documented that air source heat pumps could increase running costs but so far there is little reliable data on their performance. We are looking to find the optimum settings to maximise effectiveness and minimise cost for our customers.

“We will be able to compare the data from the two heat pumps to determine the most viable option for the future.”

The Future Home will also test underfloor and infrared heating, as well as a host of low-carbon innovations. These include mechanical ventilation, double versus triple glazing, battery storage for solar energy and a shower which transfers heat from wastewater to warm the incoming mains supply mains. This reduces the energy demand from the shower.

Jamie added: “The eyes of the new homes industry are focused firmly on this trial, but its impact could be much broader. The results could influence how householders make decisions as they replace their boilers in the coming years.”

Bellway has worked closely with home heating manufacturer Worcester Bosch to prepare for this ground-breaking trial, with the company providing the Bosch 3400i Hydrotop Solution unit. Donaldsons Timber Systems redesigned the home’s timber frame to accommodate the unit.

Darran Burrage, UK New Build Director at Worcester Bosch, said: “We are delighted to be part of this innovative trial. It is one of many that we at Worcester are involved in to help introduce low carbon heating technology into UK homes.

“One barrier for existing properties to convert to a heat pump is size and location. By placing an air source heat pump in the loft of The Future Home, the trial will hopefully pave the way for an alternative location and if successful enable more homeowners to see the technology as a viable greener heating alternative in the future.”

Professor Will Swan, Director of Energy House Labs at the University of Salford, said: “The growing challenges of climate change and the cost-of-living crisis mean we need to consider how we build and operate our homes. Energy House Labs’ mission is to work with industry and policy makers to provide evidence for what works in meeting these challenges.

“Energy-efficient, high-performing homes can change people’s lives. The importance of this agenda is one of the main reasons behind the University of Salford’s major investment in Energy House 2.0, which is a critical piece of research infrastructure that can help us find solutions to these problems.”

Richard Fitton, Professor in Building Performance at the University of Salford, said: “The development of Energy House 2.0 has taken over six years and £16 million of funding.

“Our work with some of the largest house builders and product manufacturers in the UK will help to answer difficult questions about how we reach zero carbon target in future housing.  The facility will help us to stress test these buildings under extreme hot and cold climates, to provide data on energy efficiency and overheating in homes.”

Bellway’s Future Home at The University of Salford is in its final stages of build. Once complete it will be dressed by interior designers so it is ready to be occupied.

In the new year, guests will be invited to stay in the home so data can be collected on the effectiveness of each innovation. Experts at the university will analyse the results to help determine the most viable ways for the industry to move towards net zero.

For more information on The Future Home see http://www.bellway.co.uk/the-future-home.

To find out more about Energy House 2.0 see http://www.energyhouse2.com/.

Palatine exits first impact investment with sale of adult learning provider to City & Guilds

Karen Jones
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Palatine has successfully exited its investment in Trade Skills 4U, the market-leading provider of electrician training schemes, with the sale of the business to City & Guilds.

Palatine backed Trade Skills 4U in 2017 as the first investment from its Impact Fund which was established to invest in commercially driven businesses with a mission to positively impact on society or the environment. Since then, it has supported the business to open two new training centres in Leeds and Coventry, appoint a new chairman and financial director and improve the digital infrastructure.

The growth has led to an increase in the business’ impact, with the number of students completing career changer courses each year having more than doubled since 2017. Resulting in thousands of students having their career prospects positively impacted over the period of Palatine’s investment.

Trade Skills 4U was founded by CEO Carl Bennett in 2005 and focuses on the adult training market. It provides a range of electrical courses for individuals who have little or no electrical knowledge and those already in the profession who are looking to enhance their skills. Key to its mission is lowering the barrier to entry for adults seeking new career opportunities such as people who have left the military.

During the last five years, Palatine has also supported the development and introduction of NVQ and apprenticeship programmes, making the company’s training relevant to an increased number of students. Supporting people of all ages to train and retrain in skills that leads to jobs aligns exceptionally well with City & Guilds’ purpose, making City & Guilds the natural home for the next stage of Trade Skills 4U’s growth journey.

City & Guilds is a Royal Chartered Institute and a registered charity with a mission to provide the opportunity for people to retrain and relearn, gaining new skills at every stage of life, regardless of where they start.

Matt Coles, Impact Fund Investment Director at Palatine, said: “As our first ever Impact investment we are incredibly proud of all we have achieved with Carl and the Trade Skills 4U team over the last five years. Together we have grown an exceptional business which is having a clear impact on addressing skills shortages and improving social mobility in the UK.

“City & Guilds represents a natural home for Trade Skills 4U to continue to grow its scale and impact and we look forward to following the business’ future journey.”

Carl Bennett, Founder and CEO of Trade Skills 4U, said: “Over the last five years it has been a pleasure to work with the Impact team at Palatine with whom we’ve shared a learner-centric approach to growth, always prioritising the outcomes we can deliver. Their support and commitment has made this a rewarding and enjoyable journey.

“Joining City & Guilds is a natural progression for our company and team, as we work to continue to cement our position as the UK’s leading provider of electrical skills training to individuals and businesses.

Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of City & Guilds said: “Trade Skills 4U is joining the City & Guilds community at a critical time as the UK grapples with severe skills shortages. Trade Skills 4U prides itself on inclusivity and removing barriers to work, ensuring individuals from all walks of life can access high quality skills training that leads to meaningful careers. This perfectly aligns to our City & Guilds purpose of helping people into jobs and by championing this together we can ensure that we are further providing opportunities and the skills needed to succeed.”

Freight specialist secures decade-long lease at Preston’s Walton Summit Industrial Park

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Freight and haulage specialist, Montgomery Distribution, has agreed a new ten-year lease on the Alpha Building at Four Oaks Road, Walton Summit, Preston which they will occupy in addition to their existing facility on Green Place.

Montgomery Distribution will occupy the 131,486 sq f unit which benefits from an eaves height of 8.3 metres, 27 dock level loading doors and a separate additional 0.86 acre yard.

Walton Summit Industrial Estate is an established industrial location given its proximity to junctions 29/30 of the M6, Junction 9 of the M61 and Junction 1 of the M65, which provides easy access to the North West’s key motorway networks.

The landlord, Harworth, was represented by JLL and Pinkus & Co.

Robert Kos, Director at JLL said: “Walton Summit is a popular location with a low turnover of tenants. Given the lack of available stock in the wider Central Lancashire we received a strong level of interest from the outset.”

Salford based Thermatic Technical FM appoints new Managing Director Jack Prady

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Thermatic Technical FM, a leading provider of Hard FM services in the UK, has announced the appointment of Jack Prady as its new Managing Director.

Jack’s experience and breadth of knowledge spans over 15 years in a variety of other senior-level roles within the facilities sector, playing an important role in in contract management and integrated facilities management within the private and public sectors. Jack brings a wealth of experience to Thermatic, having formerly held the position of Operations Director for Vinci Facilities. Prior to that Jack was the Account Director working with Shell Retail UK. Jack will be working closely with Thermatic’s senior management team.

“I’m incredibly delighted to join Thermatic and proud to be at the helm of such an exciting privately owned business that has been operating across the UK for over 50 years. In terms of the history, Thermatic have continued to retain a reputation of providing a true technical service offering, carrying vast self-delivery capabilities with over 100+ engineers and a very customer centric focused delivery model.

“I see something unique, the opportunity to add my expertise and leadership style to what is already a well-established business with strong foundations presents an incredible opportunity. The future of Thermatic is extremely exciting. My overarching aim for Thermatic is to realise its full potential, there is a long list that sits below the phrase ‘potential’ but in its simplest form, we want to develop our people, ensure Thermatic is recognised as a great place to work and ensure we over deliver for our customers, everything else broadly will be a biproduct of achieving the magic three.” Jack Prady, Managing Director of Thermatic Technical FM.

“Jack has a formidable track record in the FM industry and is joining the company at a very exciting time. We look forward to benefiting from his experience and vision as we continue our rapid growth in the field of Technical FM and Energy Services” Colin Tennent Chairman of Thermatic Technical FM.

Chief sales officer appointed to support international growth for fulfilment services provider

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Chorley-headquartered fulfilmentcrowd has appointed Andrew Turner as its new chief sales officer as the business eyes further European expansion to support its growing eCommerce retailer customer base.

Andrew joins fulfilmentcrowd from XPO Logistics where he was commercial director for the UK & Ireland. He has spent the last 12 years in senior commercial and business development roles, building profitable long-term partnerships with retail and product brand customers for companies including Yodel and Wincanton PLC.

Bringing more than 22 years’ experience in logistics, warehousing, transport and supply chain, Andrew will lead fulfilmentcrowd’s sales function, with a focus on expanding its business development team in key territories to underpin future growth and foster new relationships with high-growth eCommerce retailers and partners around the world. The business currently operates fulfilment centres across the UK, USA, France and the Netherlands and will open its second distribution centre in Germany later this year.

Andrew commented: “I love the overall fulfilmentcrowd product – it’s where technology, eCommerce and retail meet. The in-house technology and fulfilmentcrowd customer app is one of the best platforms I’ve seen on the market and the company’s global growth trajectory is really impressive. fulfilmentcrowd is a friendly and ambitious company, with its roots in the north of England. It has assembled a brilliant senior team and I’m keen to bring my experience and knowledge of the market to further strengthen the team and deliver long-term, sustainable growth for the business and its customers.”

The business, which specialises in easily accessible, cross-border logistics services for high-growth eCommerce retailers, currently services over 500 eCommerce retailers around the world. Following a £7.5 million investment from growth capital investor BGF in March 2021, fulfilmentcrowd has invested in building its team in the UK and overseas to support growing exports and international shipping for its UK customers.

Andrew continued: There’s huge potential for the business due to the demand for digital-first solutions across medium enterprise-sized businesses. There’s a long-term trend to outsourcing warehouse logistics, fulfilment and returns and fulfilmentcrowd brings a new offer with its commercial model, which allows retailers to turn a significant proportion of fixed cost to variable, offering no ceilings on maximum volumes across multiple countries.

“When considering current macroeconomic challenges, there’s a clear need for more flexible outsourcing options for scaling retailers. fulfilmentcrowd’s commercial model partnered with the fulfilmentcrowd app gives more control to retailers to manage volume fluctuations in all product verticals and across geographical regions, giving them greater oversight of consumer demand to help scale their operations at pace and expand into new markets.”

fulfilmentcrowd’s CEO, Lee Thompson, added: “We welcome Andrew at a crucial time in the business’ development where we are looking to scale our sales function to support more customers internationally. As well as adding new partner fulfilment centres, we’ve also hired experienced business development managers based on the ground in key growth markets to help raise the business’ profile. Andrew’s depth and breadth of sector experience, combined with leading successful commercial teams, will prove invaluable to the business as we grow.”

In addition to Andrew’s appointment, fulfilmentcrowd has also bolstered its in-house marketing team with Shannon Beck who joins as SEO content executive and Rachel Kirby who joins as product marketing executive. Shannon will be responsible for developing digital content for the businesses owned channels, while Rachel will be responsible for managing internal and external communications for product and software updates.

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