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Jam sweetens client roster with The Skinny Food Co

Sam Whitear
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Marketing communications agency, Jam has been appointed by healthy food and drink brand, The Skinny Food Co, to sweeten its PR strategy, following a three way pitch process.

Jam will be responsible for increasing visibility and share of voice in a competitive market place with consumer and trade media coverage of The Skinny Food Co’s expansive range of products.

The Skinny Food Co is a food and drink brand dedicated to healthy, great tasting food without the high sugar, fat and calorie content. The brand is enjoyed by the growing number of health conscious consumers as well as diabetics, vegetarians and vegans.

Jaime Gee, Managing Director at Jam, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with The Skinny Food Co and looking forward to communicating the brand’s fantastic range of flavoursome products to both the industry media and consumers. Our extensive press office function will support The Skinny Food Co’s overall business objectives of increasing awareness to drive sales, and ensuring that people can enjoy healthy food as it should be – full of flavour! ”

Wayne Starkey, CEO and Founder at The Skinny Food Co, said: “Jam really impressed us with their pitch as they not only understood our key audience and their interests, but also demonstrated creativity in their tactics. We’re delighted to have Jam onboard and we’re confident that they’ll help us raise awareness of our brand as it evolves.”

Jam has a wealth of experience in the food and drinks industry, including supporting TV chef, James Martin’s online home delivery service, Life, Fork, Spoon, as well as HM Pasties, EHL Ingredients and Lancashire Tea.

The Skinny Food Co joins Jam’s extensive roster of clients which includes Printworks, Argos Pet Insurance, MakeUrMove, Survivors Manchester and Ipsum Group.

Further expansion for Connectus following second NPIF loan from FW Capital Debt Finance

Sam Whitear
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A superfast broadband and cyber security provider has received a second round of funding from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

Connectus Group provides full fibre optic connectivity and end user managed services including VOIP, data storage and cyber security. The company works from offices in Salford and Doncaster with a host of blue-chip clients such as BT, Vodafone and Peel Holdings, as well as numerous SMEs.

NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance provided an initial £150,000 loan in 2018 which was used to recruit and train four staff and to invest in branding and marketing to drive the business forward.

A second loan of £150,000 has now been invested to expand additional managed services, recruit more staff, invest further in marketing and for training and technical development for the team.

In January 2018 the management team purchased the business, with Roy Shelton joining as Chief Executive Officer in 2019.

In between rounds nine new jobs have been created and revenue has grown by 55%. Connectus has also moved into a 1,500 square feet office at the AJ Bell Stadium where it has won the contract to run the site’s broadband, cyber security and VOIP on a proactive managed services basis for five years.

CEO Roy Shelton said: “FW Capital has provided much more than finance and we are delighted to be continuing our relationship with them. They have been a very important source of support for us – creating networking opportunities and adding extra value by attending our quarterly reviews.

“In what is a very male dominated industry we are proud that 25% of our staff is female and 25% of them under 25. We want to offer opportunities to more younger people – this latest round of funding will create another four jobs one of which will be an apprentice. We also expect turnover to double again next year as more and more clients adopt our fully managed services allowing them to focus on running their own businesses.”

Melanie Taylor, FW Capital’s Senior Portfolio Executive said: “Connectus’s achievements have surpassed our expections following the first round of investment and we are pleased to support them through this next exciting phase of development. The company is ambitious in its growth plans and has been successful in generating new contracts and tender opportunities. Our new loan will assist in funding the upfront costs of these new contracts.”

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank

Genius recruitment software secures £400k NPIF investment

Sam Whitear
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A company which has developed a full recruitment and talent management solution has secured a £400,000 business loan from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

Genius Group Limited which has offices in Manchester & Skipton as well as an office in London has developed a state-of-the-art system for candidates and employers which streamlines the recruitment process via an app and online candidate management solution.

It takes only a minute for candidates to upload their information and be matched to suitable roles. Employers benefit from a unique system with built in AI that selects suitable applicants. The system also offers a video interviewing facility and produces letters and contracts.

Genius was set up in 2009 by Russell Dalton and currently employs 25 staff. Turnover this year reached £1m and is forecast to reach £7m within three years.

The loan has been used to recruit new 5 new staff and for growth capital to support marketing and advertising and the ongoing development of products and services.

Clients include Matalan, JD Sports, Pizza Express, JCB and Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust.

Russell Dalton said: “Our products significantly reduce recruitment costs and time.

“We’re also focused on rolling out our products within the NHS. Onboarding NHS staff can be a lengthy process but we know from working with Leeds Teaching Hospital that we can significantly reduce the time it takes from an average of 90 days to just 18.

“FW Capital is exactly the type of investor we want on board. They were diligent in their approach which I liked because it showed they were interested in us as a business and believed in our vision.”

FW Capital senior investment executive Loz O’Connor said: “Genius has self-funded so far but needed substantial capital to ramp up its expansion. Many major retailers are interested in working with them and they are already in advanced talks with a major supermarket and with clients across a broad spectrum of sectors, they are well placed to navigate the uncertain trading environment many businesses are currently facing.”

Sue Barnard, Senior Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “NPIF continues to provide vital funding to Northern businesses across the region and it’s great to see Genius will be able to use this funding to expand. We are pleased to continue this support, and are proud to work in partnership with FW Capital and our other appointed fund managers to make a real impact on business communities.

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

Greater Connected programme returns to help digital, creative and tech businesses cut through the Coronavirus chaos

Sam Whitear
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Digital and creative businesses in Greater Manchester struggling to adapt to the challenges caused by COVID-19 can receive assistance from the sector-specific Greater Connected programme – but they have just two more weeks to sign up.

Greater Connected is a fully funded programme that has been operating since 2016 via GC Business Growth Hub’s digital, creative and tech service. It helps businesses to define or refine their business plans, plot a clear route to their objectives, and gain greater knowledge of core business fundamentals. Recognising the new challenges businesses face, the programme has revised its content to help businesses stabilise, adapt and grow.

In keeping with Government guidelines on social distancing, the structure has also been re-modelled to offer support via different virtual delivery methods.

The cohort-based series of workshops offers tailored expert advice from digital, creative and tech practitioners, and growth advisors from GC Business Growth Hub, part of the Growth Company and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

The change in content and delivery is in line with the GC Business Growth Hub’s #HereForBusiness campaign to support companies during the coronavirus crisis.

Advice provided will take account of the particularly challenging times businesses are having to deal with during this pandemic, with specialist advisors who have experience of guiding companies through crises such as the bursting of the dot-com bubble and the 2008 financial crash. They also understand the specific challenges that COVID-19 has caused in the creative and digital sectors.

Sarah Novotny, Digital Creative and Tech Sector Lead at GC Business Growth Hub said: “Creative and digital businesses are facing a number of challenges during this crisis, some of which are shared by all industries and some which are particular to this sector. This makes it very timely that they can sign up to be part of the new Greater Connected cohort, which has already helped more than 170 local businesses.

“We know that these businesses need tailored support to help them come through the coronavirus crisis intact and ready to grow again, so our advisors are ready to help and offer advice. There has never been a more important time to be a part of the wider Greater Connected network, learning from other businesses with similar experiences and barriers to overcome.

“While we would usually be conducting these sessions face-to-face, thankfully technology means we can stay connected to keep offering this opportunity for businesses to grow together and help each other through this difficult time. We urge these businesses to apply as soon as possible, to get the right kind of support that’s most relevant to them.”

The closing date for the current cohort of Greater Connected is 1st May. Businesses can apply at https://gc.businessgrowthhub.com.

Businesses looking to access specialist support can visit www.businessgrowthhub.com for more information about the organisation’s extensive range of services. This and other GC Business Growth Hub projects are part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the GM Business Growth Hub project designed to help ambitious SME businesses achieve growth and increase employment in Greater Manchester. The Hub is also supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester local authorities.

LANCASHIRE FARM DAIRIES MAKES BIG INVESTMENTS AS BUSINESS BOOMS

Sam Whitear
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The Rochdale based yogurt brand has invested one million pounds into its manufacturing plant
Turning its attention to robotics and new technology, the company aim to take on key industry competitors

Rochdale based yogurt brand, Lancashire Farm Dairies, has announced a one million-pound business investment which will incorporate advanced technology and robotics into its manufacturing plant.

After making its start as a small company back in 1984, Lancashire Farm Dairies surpassed all expectations, steadily growing into a multi-million-pound yogurt manufacturer and the third largest natural yogurt brand in the UK.

Today, the business has taken a new approach to its investments, turning its attention to advanced technology and robotics which will take the manufacturing plant in a whole new direction. Once installed, the robotic-based system will be automated from end to end, enabling Lancashire Farm Dairies to manufacture 25% more 1kg yogurts.

Known for its empathetic, free-range approach to farming, Paradise Farm in Lancashire, which is one of the farms that suppliers the brand, is responsible for producing 10,000 litres of milk a day – enough to produce half a million pots of Lancashire Farm yogurts per year. With such large volumes available, the business plans to invest into more efficient systems to create yogurts.

As part of a continuing strong investment plan, this is not the first time the company has splashed the cash, following a 3.5-million-pound investment into the business back in 2018. The big-budget overhaul touched every aspect of the business including new tanks, new fermentation and a new CIP system for cleaning and filling lines.

Managing Director, Azhar Zouq, at Lancashire Farm Dairies, said, “We are always looking for ways to improve the business and with some of the latest improvements, along with the introduction of new technology, we have invested in the future of the business so we can continue to grow and fulfill our ambitions.”

“Lancashire Farm started as a small business and we are so pleased with the growth so far, but in order to take on major competitors, big investments in manufacturing and taking advantage of such fantastic advancements in technology will play a key part.”

Colleagues at the Rochdale based plant can also benefit from the new investments, with the new robotics system requiring operator roles to oversee the plant. This will create elevated positions for internal staff who can expect to undergo new training in the tech-heavy plant as business continues to boom.

75% Made Smarter supported businesses adopt technology to enhance data collection and analysis

Sam Whitear
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Greater Manchester SME are putting data and systems integration at the heart of their productivity and growth plans.

Handrail Creations, based in Bolton, W Howard, in Astley, and Antonelli Brothers in Irlam are among 13 that have received funding through the Made Smarter North West Industry 4.0 adoption pilot and are now embracing industrial digital technologies which connect their disparate systems and unify data residing in different sources.

This includes Integrating a variety of systems and consolidating data sources allows business leaders to spot trends in production and labour, correct maintenance and quality issues, and minimise safety, business risk and operational downtime throughout their production. The benefits of these can be seen in the entire supply chain eco-system.

Among those businesses using data and systems integration technologies to achieve digital transformation and gain a competitive edge, are Handrail Creations which creates one-off pieces for clients such as the US Embassy, the Houses of Parliament and celebrity homes.

With support from Made Smarter, it has invested in a new handheld scanner and software designed to integrate with its systems which it forecasts will improve its overall processing speed by 25%, improve efficiency, improve productivity and support growth plans which include creating two new jobs.

Kenny Macfarlane, managing director, said: “While the new equipment will speed up the scanning process and reduce survey time, the real benefit will be in the processing speed, converting the data into something that is usable for our design team.

“With more than 70 live projects being managed at any one time and 75% per cent of surveys done using a 3D scanner, we are looking at saving a lot of man hours.

“It will increase our efficiency, but more importantly it will reduce the chance of error, ensuring that our bespoke products are right first time.”

SMEs from various manufacturing sectors have invested in other advanced technologies to solve their business challenges.

Almost 25% (20) of manufacturers are adopting Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) using sensors to collect critical production data to gain valuable insights about the efficiency of operations. More than 20% (17) of SMEs are adopting robotics and process control automation and 15% (13) are focussed on big data and analytics technologies. Meanwhile, other businesses are investing in 3Dprinting (6), artificial intelligence (2), augmented and virtual reality (5), and cyber security (2).

Donna Edwards, programme director for the Made Smarter North West, said: “Data and analytics are central to the 4th Industrial Revolution, so I am extremely pleased that so many SME manufacturers are putting data at the heart of their own digitalisation journeys.

“Capturing the data from across their processes and bringing it all together in one place is a vital first step for many manufacturers looking to solve problems and recognise opportunities. Simultaneously, many of these SMEs are also deploying sensors in their factories to collect valuable data.

“The next step, one which some forward-thinking SMEs are already taking, is to analyse the data using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

“It is encouraging that so many of this region’s makers are recognising that using these tools can empower them to grow their business and increase efficiency.”

3PL Keeps Going to Meet Growing Demand from Online Shoppers for Essential Products

Sam Whitear
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A North West order fulfilment provider is keeping its fulfilment warehouses open during the coronavirus crisis to support its customers offering essential products as online demand continues to grow.

3PL, whose headquarters are in Wigan, will continue operating with a reduced workforce to ensure that the supply of baby products, health, household, and personal care products reach homes across the country as the lockdown continues.

The company partners with several growing brands in the essential items sector that have experienced an unprecedented surge in demand for their products from online shoppers who are housebound during the outbreak.

While other fulfilment centres are closing, and Amazon is shutting down its services to thousands of marketplace sellers the fulfilment business is continually adapting to remain functional and minimise disruption to its operations as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grip the nation.

The company has taken considerable steps to safeguard the wellbeing of its employees by adopting home working for large swathes of its central team whilst social distancing measures have also been introduced within its warehouses in line with Government guidelines.

“As a third-party warehousing and logistics business, we are ultimately the custodians of livelihoods not only of our employees but also our customer base. We take great pride in embracing key worker status. Our business and its people have proved resilient in the past and will do so again this time around.” Ian Walker, Managing Director at 3PL, explained

“We have big warehouses and against a backdrop of a significantly reduced workforce, our employees can work safely and in line with Government guidelines. In doing so we continue to provide continuity of service at a time when our customers need us the most. Unlike Amazon UK we haven’t applied a selective approach to who we service during this time as loyalty is a core value and our extended commitments will be remembered long after COVID-19 has passed. With a further extension to lockdown announced recently, we will again reassess the impact and adapt accordingly to ensure we continue to provide the high level of service our customers have come to expect from 3PL.”

Salfood supports local homelessness charity

Sam Whitear
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The University of Salford’s catering provider, Salfood, has donated a substantial amount of food and stock to homelessness charity Emmaus Salford.

The donation to Emmaus Salford was made following the closure of all Salfood’s outlets as a result of coronavirus measures. It was important that the food was not wasted and a former beneficiary of Emmaus Salford who now works at Salfood, suggested that the items be donated to the Pendleton based charity.

Linda Sidebotham, Contract Director for Salfood (a partnership between Chartwells and the University of Salford), said: “I am so pleased that Chartwells, could support Emmaus Salford. As Government decisions changed by the day, the University had to close the campus suddenly. We operate 16 food and cafe outlets for over 18,000 students so we obviously had lots of surplus food. We were delighted that Emmaus was able to use the stock and pass it on to people who need it.”

Chartwells works with over 2,300 education units including primary schools, secondary schools, academy schools, independent schools, colleges and universities. Salfood provides a range of outlets, student stores and hospitality services for the University of Salford. The food items donated to Emmaus Salford will be used by the charity, by Lucie’s Pantry social supermarket, and distributed to other homelessness charities in the area.

Emmaus Salford supports 22 formerly homeless people by providing them with a stable home, meaningful work and support for as long as they need it. The charity operates three social enterprises across Salford, selling donated and upcycled furniture, household goods, electrical items, clothes and vintage wares.

Rachel Richardson, Community Director at Emmaus Salford, said: “We were totally blown away by the large donation of food from the team at Salfood. At this very difficult time it’s heartening to see the generosity of people and organisations across Salford.

“These items from Salfood will be put to good use in our Emmaus Salford community kitchen, shared between members of Lucie’s Pantry and support other local organisations helping people who are homeless.”

Unfortunately, due to coronavirus, all of Emmaus Salford’s charity stores are temporarily closed, significantly reducing the charity’s income. Emmaus will continue to support its community of formerly homeless residents but is appealing for financial donations to help during the coronavirus crisis.

Social Republic Expands Team With Senior Account Hire

Sam Whitear
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Leading social media agency, Social Republic, has appointed Davina Consoli to help support its growing client base.

Davina joins the Manchester-based firm as senior account executive, bringing more than five years’ experience within the social media, PR and communications industry with her.

Said Davina: “I’m excited to begin my new position at Social Republic, helping to add extra value to client campaigns.”

She will be working across a number of the company’s national clients including The British Red Cross, Ronhill, The Avocado Company, Henry Boot Developments, Buump and new account win Sortimo UK. Warrington-based Sortimo is a leading manufacturer of van racking systems and mobile transport solutions in Europe.

Said Rob Illidge, ceo of Social Republic: “Whilst the world is adapting to an ever-changing and unique challenge, our business continues to develop, outperforming forecasted growth, which has resulted in new business and new hires in key areas.

“We’re delighted to welcome Davina into the team who will further enhance our skills profile – bringing a superior mix of social media, digital and communication knowledge.”

Social Republic has established itself as a leading global agency, having developed a client base in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.

Fast growing HR-tech company DBLX hires former Amazon and bet365 head, Dan Macklin as CTO to accelerate its mission to disrupt the industry

Sam Whitear
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Dan Macklin has been driving innovation at Amazon Web Services since 2018. Before that he was Head of Applied Innovation at Lloyds Bank and Head of R&D at bet365. DBLX have hired him to accelerate its innovation and delivery strategy.

Macklin was a senior member of the UK Innovation team at Amazon Web Services, where he worked with key customers to find and plug holes in AWS’s product offerings. Previously, he was Head of Applied Technology Innovation at Lloyds Banking Group, and worked for more than 6 years at bet365 in a variety of senior technology roles, ending up as head of research and development for bet365 globally. In each of these positions Dan was responsible for leading high-performance teams to successfully build and launch disruptive products at massive scale.

Dan will report directly to CEO Gareth Mobley and will sit on the organisation’s executive board where he will lead the MCG / DBLX tech strategy with a particular focus on innovation. He will be working to improve and develop our industry leading learning, engagement and collaboration platforms and solutions, which help organisations unleash the potential of remote and site-based workforces whilst ensuring that they scale to cope with rapidly increasing demand.

“Dan has a track record of technology leadership gained from his work in the technology innovation teams at some of the World’s biggest consumer and technology brands. Dan will be a huge asset to add to our highly talented board at MCG. He will head up our development teams overseeing the design and build of our cloud-based technology solutions. He’ll play an integral role in ensuring our award-winning LXP’s become even more cutting edge and impactful.” Gareth says.

“I’m absolutely delighted to be joining MCG and DBLX, a company that really wants to do things differently and disrupt the HR-tech industry. I have a passion for building products that help people and teams grow, so am looking forward to bringing some large-tech capabilities to a smaller company that is a pioneer in this space. I have craved a move like this for some time and can’t wait to get started” Dan says.

‘The next steps of the journey for MCG and DBLX will shape it for many years to come. I am enjoying getting to know the passionate DBLX team and understanding how our products grow the capabilities of our customers and their employees. The world is changing and technology is shaping the future of work. Employee engagement will play a pivotal role in improving the productivity and enjoyment of work, especially now that millions are used to working from home”.

Macklin joined DBLX at the start of April, at an exciting time for the business which has seen significant growth over the past year.

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