A thriving North West IT consultancy, Mason Advisory, is celebrating five years in business and a five times increase in turnover.

Based at MediaCityUK, Mason Advisory has a growing reputation in the UK and globally as an IT specialist, renowned for its high quality consultants, specialist skills, and support through digital transformation projects and partnerships. It counts many well-known brands as customers, from sectors such as finance, life sciences, retail, FMCG, emergency services, health, energy, water, education, government and transport.

Earlier this year, the company was recognised by the Financial Times as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe, and one of the leading management consultancies in the UK. It was awarded the Queen’s award for Enterprise in the international trade category, and was also recognised by Great Place to Work as a centre of Excellence in Wellbeing.

Steve Watmough, CEO at Mason Advisory, said: “In the last five years, we have grown from a specialist player to a leading IT advisory company, competing with the industry heavyweights in the £8.2 billion UK management consultancy sector.We have grown revenue five times over and our success has been recognised with the landmark awards and accolades we have received. We are now looking to build on this success and strengthen our position and reputation in the marketplace.

“We’ve got exciting expansion plans, including a recruitment drive for consultants in the UK to support global clients. Skill requirements are becoming more complex and challenging and we are able to guide our clients through the digitalisation process, align ourselves with their business culture and deliver results that allow organisations to fast-track their digital transformation initiatives, and operate in a more agile manner to ultimately enhance customer and staff experiences.”

Fiona Czerniawska is founder and director at Source Global Research and one of the world’s leading commentators on the management consulting industry.

She said: “Digital transformation has been the main driver of growth in the IT services and consulting industry over recent years. Clients are increasingly keen to work with smaller, more specialised firms, such as Mason Advisory, that have deeper expertise than the bigger players, and can bridge the gap between technology and business. These firms find it easier to fit in within the client’s organisation in cultural terms. The clients’ main focus is to make sure that concrete results are delivered.”

Steve concluded: “Despite the uncertain, disruptive times we are in, I’m proud of the outstanding results our team has delivered and their hard work behind this achievement. Our success is down to the high calibre of consultants on the team and our shared desire to bring digital transformation and technological innovation to our customers around the world.”

Manchester tech scale-up, Broadstone, is celebrating unprecedented growth as it reports a 300% increase in revenue in the past five months and a 700% increase in its user community in the past six months. The firm predicts that transactions via their platform will be in excess of £1m per month by 2020.

As a result, the firm is looking to expand its headcount by 50% over the next three months, as it enters a period of major fundraising and active investment. To support its rapid growth and enable further scalability, Broadstone is also moving to new, state-of-the-art premises at The Garages in Allied London’s XYZ building in Spinningfields, Manchester.

Tom Pickersgill, founder and CEO, said: “Since we launched just over 12 months ago, we’ve experienced incredible success, from securing contracts with some of the UK’s major corporations to growing month-on-month in every aspect of our business. And our future plans are even more ambitious, as we look to undertake a Series A fundraise later in the year to accelerate our growth strategy both here in the UK.

“Moving to The Garages at XYZ will ensure we are well positioned to continue to grow at pace, while providing a high spec environment for our valued team. Being part of the Allied London portfolio provides the flexibility we need as a high growth scale up, and means we are able to double or even triple headcount without any major disruption to our office space.”

Tom added: “The worker landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. More people are looking for work that fits around their life, yet traditional recruiters and bricks and mortar staffing agencies have not adapted to this and tech giants like Uber and Deliveroo are reaping the rewards of engaging with these labour pools as a result.

“Our unique labour-as-a-service approach is democratising recruitment; providing companies with much needed instant access to a pool of verified and vetted workers, and providing candidates with access to fair and flexible temporary work, resulting in a fast and highly streamlined process.”

North West serviced office provider W_RKSPACE has continued to grow its portfolio of flexible commercial spaces with the acquisition of its fourth property, with support from a six-figure funding package from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

W­­­­­_RKSPACE already owns three serviced office blocks in Preston and has now made its first move into Bolton with a deal to buy Hamill House on Chorley New Road.

With the site already approaching full occupancy, the new property is expected to boost W_RKSPACE’s turnover by 25 per cent. Hamill House includes 25 modern offices with suites accommodating start-ups and SMEs of up to 20 employees.

Founded two years ago, W_RKSPACE is set to further expand its portfolio of flexible work spaces in the region and is seeking additional investment opportunities in Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

Its portfolio in Preston includes The Watermark, The Old Docks House and Preston Enterprise Centre.

W_RKSPACE managing director Rizwan Seth, said: “Hamill House is already a well-established serviced office in the heart of Bolton’s professional district. With 95 per cent occupancy, it presents an ideal growth opportunity for our brand.

“We’re looking to continue building the W_RKSPACE portfolio by adding another two or three centres in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, which we’ll do in a sustainable way with the right fit for the group.

“Lloyds Bank has supported us since the beginning and we have an excellent long-term relationship with the team there.”

Johnathon Townsend, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “This latest acquisition is a great move for W_RKSPACE and the group’s growth reflects the growing popularity of serviced offices, which offer tenants a great deal of flexibility.

“We’ve pledged to lend up to £1.3 billion to North West firms like W_RKSPACE in 2019 to help them make key investments for growth, such as carrying out acquisitions. It’s just one part of our commitment to helping Britain prosper.”

Manchester’s Tarsier Gin has brought a taste of the North West to new international buyers at Asia’s leading food and hospitality exhibition, HOFEX, in Hong Kong.

HOFEX attracts more than 42,000 visitors and 2,800 exhibitors annually. Tarsier Gin showcased its range of traditionally made gins at a dedicated Food is GREAT Gin Bar.

The Food is GREAT campaign is a cross-departmental initiative between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for International Trade (DIT). The campaign aims to showcase UK food and drink overseas, and to help businesses export. 

Tarsier Gin was created in 2018 after co-founder, Tim Driver, was inspired by the flavours he discovered during a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia four years ago. He spent the next three years developing the gin’s recipe with his business partner at his kitchen table before producing the brand’s website and labelling bottles. 

Several other Northern Powerhouse gin brands were also introduced to China’s growing cohort of UK gin lovers this month. Slingsby Gin and Noveltea were just some of the gins showcased at the SIAL trade show in Shanghai, which took place the week after HOFEX. At the event, John Edwards, British Consul-General of Shanghai, gave key industry attendees a tour of the UK Pavilion to allow them to get a taste of British gins. The tours were also streamed live on WeChat to 9,000,000 consumers across China,  the country’s most popular messaging and lifestyle app.

Paul Stowers, Head of Region, North West at DIT, said: “The gin industry in the UK is booming. In 2018 alone, exports of UK gin hit a record £614m, up 15% on the previous year.

“Supporting businesses from the North West during trade shows like HOFEX provides companies with the opportunity to meet people face-to-face and start to build relationships. Tarsier Gin is a great example of a firm from the region doing just this by showcasing what it has to offer on an international platform and meeting potential buyers. 

“North West businesses looking to start exporting or enter new markets should get in touch with us today to find out how we can support them on similar trade missions. We have a team of International Trade Advisers across the region ready to support each stage of the exporting journey. From labelling on products to the logistics of trading with new markets, we’re here to help businesses make the most of the exporting opportunities available.”

A bike manufacturer has reignited a historic relationship with a supplier 30-years after the pair last worked together.

Manchester-based Indian-owned Hero Cycles is back together with Reynolds, the tubing manufacturer that provided parts for the 110-year-old Viking brand in its heyday.

Hero Cycles, the world’s biggest bicycle manufacturer by volume, revived Viking after a near 40-year absence when it purchased bike distributor Avocet Cycles in 2015. Viking was then formally relaunched as part of Hero’s new UK-designed Insync range in May 2018.

Birmingham-based Reynolds provided the original parts used in Viking bikes when the brand enjoyed success in the Tour of Britain during the 1950s.

That rich heritage is being revisited in a new range of Insync bikes, the Viking Pro 400 – a limited edition range of just 400 cycles.  The range, which consists of four different models, will contain echoes of Viking’s history with features including the classic logo and vintage badge. The range includes a lightweight frame that minimises the impact of vibrations on the cyclist, resulting in a more comfortable ride. Designed in conjunction with Reynolds, the range is suitable for city riding and longer weekend rides.

The Viking Pro 400 range includes the four models, Roadmaster, Racemaster, Tourmaster and Crossmaster and will be available at selected independent bike dealers and will retail at between £699 and £1199.

Reynolds’ managing director Keith Noronha said the business was delighted to rekindle its relationship with Hero Cycles and the Viking brand.

He said: “Reynolds was a supplier to the original Viking brand and it’s great to see that famous name making bikes again. We’ve been working very closely with Hero on the design of the bikes, which incorporate a modern Reynolds tubing. Both companies have a long history and we’re looking forward to seeing our renewed links grow stronger in the future.”

Abhishek Pratap Singh, head of Hero Global Design, said the limited-edition range would appeal to cycling enthusiasts as well as being affordable for the family market.

He said: “We’re delighted to be working with Reynolds again after all these years and we’re aiming to revisit that classic British heritage with this new range. We believe the mix of modern British designed quality with a vintage twist will be popular with consumers, particularly our core family market looking to improve their fitness and health.”

Manchester has reinforced its place as a leader in translating brilliant academic science into new products and services which will transform the future of medicine and maintenance of human health.

At a ceremony in the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust / Manchester Science Partnerships Citylabs 1.0 building, partners launched ‘APIS Assay Technologies’, a new business dedicated to developing novel techniques (called biomarkers) for diagnosing disease and pinpointing the treatments which are right for each individual patient.

The initiative is the brainchild of global biotech company QIAGEN, which has already announced a major expansion of its Manchester R&D hub, and Health Innovation Manchester, the unique partnership between the city region’s universities, health and care providers and funders which is working with industry to accelerate innovation to tackle Greater Manchester’s pressing health problems.

APIS will be based in Citylabs 1.0, located on the main Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust campus alongside the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine.

Manchester is at the forefront of precision healthcare and is fast becoming a global life sciences cluster, augmented by its uniquely devolved £6bn health and care system.  The partnership will bring fast-tracked real health benefits to Greater Manchester’s citizens and people across the world through access to new tests and targeted treatments developed through pioneering research.

Rowena Burns, Chair of Health Innovation Manchester, said: “Greater Manchester’s vision is to create a globally-leading precision health campus for innovation, translational science and molecular diagnostics, employing up to 1,500 highly skilled people.  Our partnership with QIAGEN underlines their role as the UK’s flagship industry partner and acts as a catalyst for Manchester to become a major hub for genomic research and industry in Europe.

“This is a major development for life sciences here – and across the North – and a testament to our long-standing history of forming public-private partnerships to support the creation of jobs, growth, address the health needs of local people, while also making an important international contribution to improved diagnosis and treatment of disease.”

APIS will help to realise the clinical and commercial potential of genomic medicine in diagnostic tests and personalisation of treatment, and in the prediction and prevention of disease. Using the transformational power of genomic medicine and big data, APIS will overcome the hurdles that have so far hampered these amazing scientific breakthroughs being developed into clinically approved tests and companion diagnostics which are in day to day use.

The company already has three tests in development, including for prognostic breast cancer diagnostics.  They plan to use insights gained in oncology to expand its diagnostics services to other disease areas such as liver and lung diseases, pharmacogenomics and non-invasive reproductive diagnostics, using advanced technology. The company is actively in talks with a number of pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies about establishing partnerships.

APIS operates from Manchester’s £36m precision health campus on the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust site, announced last year. The company already employs 26 scientists and analysts, with plans to expand to around 50 employees by end of the year.

QIAGEN is a world leader in genomic medicine and molecular diagnostics, with an existing research and development centre in Manchester.  In 2020, the company’s Manchester business will take possession of Citylabs 2.0, a flagship facility on the Citylabs campus, anchoring QIAGEN’s European Centre of Excellence for Precision Medicine and global hub for diagnostics development. HInM forecasts that the total campus will continue to develop as home to a vibrant community of large and small businesses, drawn by the adjoining centres of clinical and academic excellence, and providing up to 1500 highly skilled jobs.

Peer M. Schatz, Chief Executive Officer of QIAGEN, said: “We’re proud that QIAGEN was selected as a partner to create this innovative new company APIS, which we believe has the potential to accelerate scientific discovery and drive the development of valuable molecular tests. We believe that this partnership with the great scientific and clinical expertise and capacities found in Manchester will accelerate molecular biomarker research, leading to the development of new and promising diagnostic assays.

“This collaborative initiative can serve as an incubator for translating genomic biomarkers into clinical use. We are certain that the people of greater Manchester and patients all over the world will benefit from advanced diagnostic insights.”

Ian Kavanagh, Chief Operating Officer of APIS Assay Technologies, said: “We are very excited about the challenge that lies ahead. APIS combines scientific talent, unique development expertise and cutting edge technology, helping us bring molecular diagnostics to benefit patients around the globe.  Our business model rests on three pillars – a biomarker industrial research program, the fast-tracking of biomarkers and diagnostic platforms for market sale and contract development.”

Health Innovation Manchester – the ground breaking partnership between the NHS, industry and academia to accelerate proven innovations into health and care – led the consortium including Manchester City Council, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Manchester, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Manchester Science Partnerships.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This is a landmark moment which will help confirm Manchester as a world leader in this fast-growing industry. Some of the most groundbreaking life sciences research being done anywhere is taking place right here and it has the potential to be an important element in our city’s future success – not just boosting our economy but also opening up revolutionary health benefits for Manchester people.”

Sir Mike Deegan, Chief Executive of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust said: “Securing and expanding QIAGEN’s future on the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust site is a pivotal component of our vision to create an internationally-leading research and innovation campus focused on integrated diagnostics leading to better care for our patients. Modern healthcare requires us to handle massive arrays of data from a huge range of technologies to come up with the right answer for patients. This has never been clearer than with genomic medicine, QIAGEN’s immediate focus, which holds the power to deliver transformative clinical benefits at the level of individual patients – the heart of precision medicine.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “The University is looking forward to welcoming Qiagen to Manchester’s thriving and exciting global healthcare research and development sector.  It will add another dimension to the world-leading genomic, biological and precision medical research already taking place in the city and at our University.  Our own research in this area is world-renowned and I’m delighted we’ll be enhancing that reputation even further by working closely with Qiagen in this rapidly emerging industry.”

Tom Renn, Managing Director of Manchester Science Partnerships, said: “We are delighted to see the launch of this ground-breaking venture in biomarker commercialisation and look forward to working closely with the APIS team to support its growth.  They are joining a cluster of ground-breaking health and medical technology companies already in Citylabs 1.0 and will be at the heart of Greater Manchester’s upcoming globally-leading genomics campus for innovation, precision medicine, translational science, and molecular diagnostics.”