Business Manchester

ABSOLUTE CELEBRATES 20-YEARS WITH RECORD GROWTH AND THE LAUNCH OF A PR AND COMMUNICATIONS ARM

Growth

Sam Whitear

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20/07/2020

Bolton-based agency Absolute is celebrating 20 years in business with a year of record growth and the launch of its PR and communications arm.

The integrated creative and digital agency saw a 61% increase in turnover in 2019, with a 25% increase in staff numbers to support the additional business.

Despite the last few months meaning a leaner amount of output, the agency is looking to the future and has strengthened its offering with the appointment of Suzi Burns as Head of Communication to develop the agency’s PR offering.

Suzi comes from Manchester based N Brown Group where she headed up the PR team, the seventh most awarded press office in the FTSE, looking after online fashion brands JD Williams, Simply Be and Jacamo. Prior to that she spent eight years working for PR agency, Havas.

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Reporting into Managing Director Chris Hodgen, Suzi will be responsible for promoting the agency, as well as adding PR to Absolute’s existing services of brand, campaign and digital.

Suzi said: “I’m really excited about joining Absolute. They’re a fantastic agency producing bold and original work. The chance to add PR to the mix so we can start to offer a truly integrated service is very exciting.”

New wins for Absolute include Redrow, 11 Degrees, St Dalfour, The Pexion Group, York St John University and Leeds Trinity University.

The agency has invested heavily in its Horwich church head office to support the expansion. It is currently extending its reception, meeting room facilities, social and staff areas, expanding a space which already includes an on-site photography and video studio. The works will see the agency increase to just under 10,000 sq ft of creative space.

Absolute MD Chris Hodgen said: “Our performance in 2019 gave us the perfect platform to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic and we are firmly looking to the future. The addition of our core services across PR, comms and digital, combined with our physical expansion will allow us to realise our ambition of building one of the best creative hubs in the north of England.

“After an impressive 2019, packed full of client wins, existing client projects, and the addition of some incredible new talented team members, we’ve used the last few months to reset, finesse our plans for the future, and are slowly but surely getting stuck right into the second half of 2020 with brave, creative and innovative new approaches to briefs.”

Dominic Walker, Marketing Campaign Manager at Redrow, said: “Absolute have been a fantastic agency to collaborate with. We started working with them in October 2018 with a few small projects. They invested so much time in us and we were so impressed with their ideas, output and enthusiasm, they’re now heavily involved in helping to shape our brand story. We’ve lots more planned with them for the second half of the year and into 2021.”

Digitl casts off new site for Quba Sails

Digital

Sam Whitear

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20/07/2020

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Digitl, the Manchester based eCommerce, marketplace and web design agency, has created and launched a brand new website for Quba Sails, the internationally renowned British nautical outfitters and specialists in all-weather technical clothing.

Quba Sails was founded in 1996 in Salcombe, Devon, by two friends with a shared passion for sailing and the lifestyle of the coast. It is now headquartered in Stockport. The brand was sparked by an idea to create unique jackets from reclaimed canvas sailcloth. Working with just one talented local seamstress, word of these one-of-a-kind custom jackets spread and Quba’s popularity quickly grew from orders by sea-faring locals, to visiting yachtsmen and holidaymakers, and eventually to customers around the globe.

Quba’s collections now encompass both men’s and women’s nautically inspired ranges well as a comprehensive selection of sailcloth accessories including bags and cushions. It also operates over 20 standalone stores in England and Wales.

The core objectives of the new site are to communicate Quba’s heritage, the quality of its collections and to build on its reputation in the sailing and watersports communities.
The team at Digitl has worked hard to create a cleaner and more user-friendly site with better UX and UI capabilities – especially on mobile. The ultimate aims of the new platform are to increase conversions and drive sales online.
Darren Ratcliffe – founder of Digitl – said: “Over the past 25 years Quba Sails has become an iconic British brand so this has been a great project to work on. It has a well-established presence in the sailing and boating communities, but we wanted the new site to act as a springboard to widen its appeal. Quba produces some of the UK’s best outdoor apparel and we’re confident the site will reinforce this message and help drive its growth over the next few years.”

James Clarke – eCommerce & Digital Marketing Coordinator at Quba Sails – added: “Quba is a much loved brand and we knew it was time to create a new site that reflected where we are as a business. Digitl really understood what we wanted to achieve, and the team has done a great job in bringing it to life. I’m confident the optimisation for mobile and the overall UX improvements will add value and help us increase our sales and market position.”

Trunk and Eagle Eye partner to offer gamification solutions to help retail and hospitality companies drive customer engagement

Tech

Sam Whitear

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20/07/2020

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Eagle Eye Solutions (Eagle Eye), a SaaS-based provider enabling one-to-one performance marketing, is partnering with creative content specialist Trunk to add powerful gamification capabilities to help retail and hospitality operators drive engagement with their promotional and loyalty campaigns.

The partnership will enable Eagle Eye to ensure its apps and campaigns harness Trunk’s gaming and interactive experiences for both customer acquisition and retention, while Trunk will provide a full-circle solution to deliver offers and rewards powered by Eagle Eye as part of its Creative Technology function.

Eagle Eye’s market-leading AIR platform enables retailers across multiple sectors to connect with their customers online and instore through relevant and timely promotions, loyalty, apps, subscriptions and gift services. It is working with Trunk to help augment customer engagement with gamified features (such as in app games and competitions) that encourage sign ups, drive incremental sales and increase customer frequency.

Eagle Eye works with leading companies in the retail and hospitality sectors, including Greene King, which is also a Trunk client. By working with Trunk and Eagle Eye, Greene King utilised Trunk’s gamification technology to increase campaign redemption rates by over 71%.
The first “Summer of Sport” marketing campaign for Greene King, run in conjunction with Coke Zero, Budweiser, Schweppes, Coors Light and Bacardi, recently picked up two Northern Digital Awards for Best Digital Marketing Campaign in Travel & Leisure and Entertainment & Sports and has had over 1 million gameplays.

Nathan Broadbent, Head of Creative Technology at Trunk, commented: “A core aspect of our technology offering is focused on delivering gamification to increase customer engagement and ensure our games can deliver a direct commercial benefit to our clients. More recently our focus has been on sports and Food & Beverage businesses. Following a number of successful loyalty campaigns that utilised the Eagle Eye platform, it made sense for us to evolve our offering by integrating with them directly. We look forward to the new opportunities this brings to both our existing and prospective clients.”

Tim Mason, CEO of Eagle Eye Solutions, commented: “Eagle Eye is incredibly proud of the work we’ve done with Trunk and results we’ve already produced for clients. We look forward to bringing our proven promotions and loyalty delivery management capabilities, together with Trunk’s gamification engagement expertise to both new and existing retail and hospitality clients who are looking to enhance their customer journeys, boost sales and make their marketing spend work harder.”

iES secures £500k funding package following merger

Investment

Sam Whitear

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20/07/2020

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Intelligent Environmental Services (iES), a leading North West environmental consultant, has secured a £500k invoice finance facility from Advantedge as it looks to build on its recent merger with Winsulate.

Based in Bolton, iES provides expert hazardous material consultancy to a broad range of commercial clients, specialising in asbestos, contaminated land and wider environmental contaminants such as lead, mould and infectious agents. Founded in June 2019 by managing director Danny Jones, iES has seen a surge in demand for its COVID-19 contamination services, as businesses look to minimise the impact of the global pandemic.

Last month, the firm completed a merger with Manchester-headquartered Winsulate, a national provider of asbestos and environmental remediation services. Founded in the 1970s, Winsulate has become a significant environmental risk specialist, with a history of working in some of the UK’s most complex business environments.

The merger has provided iES with considerable industry knowledge and expertise, and enables the enlarged firm to provide a bespoke end to end service of hazardous material management for clients across a range of industries and sectors.

The funding, provided by the Manchester office of national invoice finance specialist Advantedge, will support the business as it looks to increase its staff numbers, with plans to double headcount to 50 in the next 12 months. The funding will also be used to expand the firm’s marketing capabilities and drive lead generation.

Danny Jones, managing director at iES, said: “Securing this funding is a significant step in supporting the business, both in the immediate term and when looking to expand in the future. Following our merger with Winsulate, we are now in a great position to provide a truly tailored service across the hazardous materials market, and can add real value to clients.

“Darren and the team at Advantedge were great to work with on this – they really understood the needs of the business. As a service provider, we have often found it a greater challenge to access this type of funding, but the Advantedge team took the time to understand these complexities, and have put in place a deal that works for all parties.”

Darren Cottenden, director at Advantedge, said: “At Advantedge, our focus has always been on supporting local businesses, with sales teams on the ground across the UK. I’m therefore extremely pleased to be able to complete this transaction, and support iES as the business looks to expand and create local jobs in a difficult time for British business. We wish Danny and the team all the success for the future.”

Ask and Tristan announce completion at 100 Embankment

Property

Sam Whitear

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17/07/2020

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Ask Real Estate and Tristan Capital Partner’s EPISO 3 Fund, have announced that they have reached practical completion at the 100 Embankment scheme, situated at the point where the two cities of Salford and Manchester meet, opposite the Cathedral.
100 Embankment is the second and final phase of the Embankment scheme in Salford’s Greengate neighbourhood, which has benefitted from extensive regeneration in recent years.
The 166,000 sq. ft, 9-storey, Grade A office building has been delivered by Ask Real Estate and the Richardson Family, in a joint venture with Salford City Council and a Tristan Capital Partners’ Fund.
The building also features a unique two-tier roof terrace, which will be available for occupiers to use at their leisure or book for events.
BAM Construction was appointed as main contractor on the scheme, with a construction programme that supported each partner’s ambitious social value targets.
100 Embankment sits alongside its sister building 101 Embankment, which completed in 2016 and won ‘Commercial Development of the Year’ at 2017’s Insider Property Awards. The building was fully let to a singular tenant, Swinton Insurance, shortly following completion.
Both buildings sit on top of a retained Grade II listed façade, which once operated as Exchange Station. The processional route up Cathedral Approach over the River Irwell was incorporated by the team to ensure a sense of arrival to both businesses and visitors.
Ask Real Estate’s managing director, John Hughes, said: “The Embankment project has been a hugely significant one for Ask, and it’s great to be now reaching the final stages of construction.
“There are few Grade A office buildings of this size and quality available in such a prime location within the city centre; 100 Embankment is situated next door to Manchester’s retail core – which includes Selfridges, M&S, Harvey Nichols and the Arndale Centre – whilst also being a stone’s throw from the wide variety of bars and restaurants to be found at the Corn Exchange.
“Similarly, it benefits from second-to-none connectivity, being located next door to Manchester Victoria’s train station and tram stop. Businesses that choose to relocate here can offer their teams a fantastic working environment, and the level of interest we’ve seen from prospective occupiers is testament to that.”

Ian Fleming, regional director at BAM Construction, added: “I’d like to extend my thanks to the full site team for their hard work on this landmark scheme, which combined an excellent standard of delivery and a well-considered construction programme which will leave a lasting, positive legacy in Salford.
“We combined our well-known collaborative working approach with both classical and digital construction techniques to achieve these ultra-modern offices and to overcome some considerable technical and logistical challenges.”

James Brodie, Executive Director at Tristan Capital Partners, said: “This is a great achievement for us and the Ask and BAM teams, who have worked seamlessly on the delivery of the second phase of this project. We are pleased to have been involved in the development of two outstanding, modern office spaces as part of Salford’s ongoing Greengate regeneration.”

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “The completion of 100 Embankment is a significant moment for this city.

“Salford people have already benefited though employment opportunities during the construction phase and this high-quality office space will generate investment that local people will benefit from for many years to come.”
CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield act as joint agents on 100 Embankment.

Free digital tool kit to support businesses in Safely Reopening GM

Business support

Sam Whitear

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17/07/2020

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A free digital tool kit has been created to support Greater Manchester businesses in safely reopening from lockdown.

Part of the Safely Reopening GM campaign delivered by the Growth Company in partnership with TFGM and GMCA, the Safely Reopening Your Workplace Tool Kit includes:

Support on staggering shift patterns to avoid public transport peaks
Advice on travel options for employees, including cycling and walking
Queue management
Quick links to the latest guidance to safely reopen
And a free Covid-19 risk assessment template
Travel advice from TfGM

It can be accessed online here.

The Safely Reopening GM – #SafeGM initiative is designed to signpost advice and examples of good practice for employers and employees and helps to ensure that measures are in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The co-ordinated campaign was launched by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham ahead of the June 15 relaxation of lockdown measures for non-essential retail and has been updated in line with changing advice, including mandatory use of face coverings in retail premises from July 24.

It is visible online and in public across Greater Manchester and directs people to the Together GM Reopening website – https://www.togethergm.org/reopening/ – which has been created to signpost trusted sources of information.

The campaign will continue to provide advice and support to businesses as part of the Growth Company’s #HereForBusiness response to the economic impact of the coronavirus, which includes a series of webinars and FAQs for business. In addition, the weekly rolling Growth Company Covid-19 Impact Survey continues to monitor the economic impact of coronavirus, enabling responses to be targeted to meeting the greatest need

Mark Hughes, CEO of the Growth Company, said: “Many more businesses are now starting to implement measures that will enable them to lift out of lockdown and contribute to economic recovery, providing jobs for local people.

“Part of the Safety Reopening GM initiative, this free digital tool kit will be an invaluable resource.”

GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALIST SECURES £600,000 CORONAVIRUS FUNDING PACKAGE

Investment

Sam Whitear

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17/07/2020

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Manchester based business Automet Limited, a specialist car engine recycler, has secured a £600,0000 Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) facility to support its cashflow during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Located on a two-acre site in Trafford Park, Automet is one of the UK’s leading car engine recyclers and aluminium manufactures for customer in the UK and Europe.

Automet has been operating since 2003 and has built strong relationships with clients around the world – consistently delivering high quality recycled metals and plastics. Almost half the business’s sales are generated through international sales.

At the outbreak of Coronavirus, the business saw a decline in activity, and had to place some staff on furlough however it is well now positioned for the post Covid-19 marketplace. The facility will enable the business to purchase large volumes of car engines and ensure it is in a prime position to grow once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.

Paul Humphries, Automet Limited, said: “The service we received from Santander was quick and extremely efficient and I would like to thank Luke for his support in assisting Automet Ltd with the application for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.”

Luke Rowbotham, Relationship Director, Santander UK, said: “While the impact of Covid-19 has had a detrimental impact on businesses across the UK, this funding package will ensure that Automet is prepared to quickly resume business as restrictions are eased – and we are delighted to support them.”

Santander UK is hosting a series of free ‘Survive and Revive’ webinars for SMEs on how to bolster their business proposition. Covering a range of topics – from innovating effectively to aligning purpose and culture – our experts delve into some of the ways in which businesses have adjusted, and thrived, since the outbreak of Coronavirus.

MCG launch new SAAS brand ‘Huler’, to disrupt the way we work, forever.

Sam Whitear

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17/07/2020

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St Pierre Groupe’s Paul Baker is Named North West Director of the Year for International Trade

Awards

Sam Whitear

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17/07/2020

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Paul Baker, the founder of Manchester-based bakery business, St Pierre Groupe, has been awarded the title of North West & Isle of Man Director of the Year Award in the International category, by the Institute of Directors (IoD). The awards, which are in their 16th year and took place on 15 July, celebrate the pinnacle of leadership excellence, whilst highlighting the significant contribution business leaders can make to society and the economic prosperity in the North West region.

St Pierre Groupe is the UK’s number one branded bakery business, as well as an international market leader in the bakery sector. Supplying European bakery products into the UK, Ireland and worldwide export markets via the multiple, convenience and wholesale channels, St Pierre Groupe’s brand portfolio includes St Pierre, Baker Street and Paul Hollywood – all of which are currently in the top five fastest growing large bakery brands[i]. It exports 77 products, which are listed in over 35,000 stores.

Paul Baker, Founder of St Pierre Groupe, comments: “Winning this award is really a plaudit to our fantastic team – both here in Manchester and in America. We work together seamlessly and share a bold growth ambition, which combined with an agile supply chain, allows our business to thrive. It is thanks to their dedication and passion that we broke into the American market with our brioche brand, St Pierre; and now five years later, St Pierre is worth 100 million dollars and is the fastest growing bakery brand in the US. It is as a result of this business growth that we have recently been able to grow our team by a third. I’m confident that by investing in talent and surrounding ourselves with good people that we will continue to be a market leading business at home and abroad for many years to come.”

The judges were impressed with Paul’s unique skill set, entrepreneurial attitude and commercial prowess, which has pioneered, driven and grown profitable overseas markets for the St Pierre brand. Launched in the US in 2014 and assisted by Paul driving a red Dodge Challenger filled with products across the country, America now accounts for 60% of the brand’s volume. Paul’s baking heritage, integrity and credibility also contributed to securing the UK licence for the Paul Hollywood brand.

THE INSIGHTS PEOPLE GROW BY A THIRD SINCE LOCKDOWN

Growth

Sam Whitear

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16/07/2020

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Manchester-based company The Insights People, the global leader in kids, parents and family market intelligence, is delighted to announce new appointments and additions to support the company’s global expansion, expanding to a team of 31 having launched in 2017. With its recent launch into South America with Brazil and Mexico last quarter, the company now survey more than 3,000 children every week, across 4 continents and 9 countries, and more than 150,000 children a year.

After a strong 6 months despite challenging conditions in industry, The Insights People announce a host of new clients including Amazon, LEGO, Star Stable and Warner Bros. as well as expanding relationships their relationship with clients such as Leapfrog, SEGA, and Turner. After announcing expansion to Brazil and Mexico earlier in 2020, the company are now working on feasibility to launch into other countries and continents.

Nick Richardson, CEO The Insights People comments,
“It has been quite surreal and challenging to interview, welcome and work with so many new starters remotely! Though it has been great to see the team adjust to these challenges with our usual can-do spirit. It was critical that we continued with our extensive recruitment despite the difficulties which COVID-19 has caused us as all of the roles are key in building the business to the next stage. The recruitment has been across the business, but in particular we have significantly increased our tech and data science team to help us develop and ultimately launch a number of new exciting services”.

The award-winning tech company welcomes Robert Lambert as Senior Development, Richard Wainwright as Data Scientist, Jordan Shaw as Junior Developer. In addition, the company has expanded its research team welcoming recent graduates Lucy Holland and Sarah Waterhouse to the team, Connor Walsh to the marketing team and George Sarakins who joins to head up account management with clients based in North America.

Chief Technology Officer of The Insights People, Dan Lucas added,
“I am very excited about the growth of tech department and innovation which the company is showing. It is a great pleasure for me to work through and see these developments take shape. Our expanded tech team are working on some big things which will change the way we view, filter, interrogate and analyse the data, it is an amazing time to be with the company”.

The company continue to recruit for a number of roles, and are actively looking for a new 3,000 sq. ft city centre office having outgrown their existing office.