News in brief: PHS Datashred; Channel Intellect; and more
WORKPLACE services firm PHS has spent £200,000 on equipment at the Trafford Park based for its £33m-turnover confidential shredding company, PHS Datashred.
The company said it had made the investment to service a growing client base. The depot has increased capacity by around 4,000 tonnes a year, meaning it can now shred up to three tonnes of paper per hour.
In 2011, the firm won a series of contracts with high-profile clients including Barclays Bank, Rothchilds and various Government departments.
Anthony Pearlgood, commercial director of PHS Datashred, said: “We’re developing the technological capabilities of the business in Manchester so we can offer customers the most thorough service possible.”
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BOLTON-based Taziker Industrial has bought the assets of Salford-based contractor Grace Scaffolding which entered administration in November 2011.
The deal saved nine jobs and completed in early December.
The firm was advised on the deal by Manchester law firm George Davies.
Partner Helen Fyles said: “This is a good addition to our client’s business and it is great to see that this deal resulted in nine jobs being saved. The market continues to be tough across most sectors so it is pleasing to see some are weathering the storm well.”
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A niche B2B consultancy which helps IT resellers to grow their business has received a funding injection from the Venture Capital pot of the £185m North West fund.
The investment of an undisclosed amount via fund manager EV will allow Wirral-based Channel Intellect to develop its business by recruiting additional staff and helping to market its e-learning portal to clients, who are largely Cisco distributors.
Channel Intellect, which was founded in 2006 by John Shannon, helps the firms to gain higher levels of Cisco certification as well as enhancing their relationship with the US IT giant.
Channel Intellect managing director, John Shannon said: “I am delighted that EV has invested in CI at such an exciting time in the evolution of our business.
“This additional funding will allow us to accelerate our plans to further develop sales in the UK from our base in the North West and, in line with our clients’ expectations, to expand into Europe and the USA.”
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B2B International, the Knutsford-based market research firm, is to open an office in Chicago to serve clients in the Midwest region of the US.
The company said that the Chicago office is its second in the country, following on from the opening of its New York office three and-a-half years ago.
Chairman and director Nick Hague said: “While the New York office has been hugely successful in meeting the needs of our North American clients, we recognise the benefits another office will have in terms of our responsiveness to client demands.”
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MANCHESTER-based debt management company, The Debt Advisor, has signed an agreement with Huddersfield-based SimplyBiz Mortgages.
The new arrangement will see The Debt Advisor extend its range of debt advisory products to SimplyBiz Mortgages registered members. It will allow intermediaries to expand their product range.
Bev Budsworth, managing director of The Debt Advisor, said: “It’s great news that we can now offer intermediaries from SimplyBiz Mortgages access to our non-lending products. This new partnership will significantly expand our potential reach across the debt management marketplace.”
Martin Reynolds, chief executive of SimplyBiz Mortgages, added: “Whilst the key aim of a financial adviser is to help consumers secure finance, there are times where its role is to help them manage their finances in times of difficulty. Our arrangement with The Debt Advisor offers our members access to an award-winning debt advisory firm with customer service at its heart.”
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ACCOUNTANTS Beever and Struthers have increased their presence in the not-for-profit sector by being appointed as advisors to the Community Foundation for Lancashire and Community Foundation for Merseyside.
The Manchester-based firm is undertaking audit work for both organisations.
The community foundations for Lancashire and Merseyside are charitable organisations which offer a service to individuals and organisations who want to give to local causes in their respective areas.
The foundations are among a network of such organisations throughout the UK, overseen by the Community Foundation Network.
Leslie Bury, a partner in the not-for-profit division of Beever and Struthers, said: “We previously acted for The Community Foundation for Lancashire but the trustees of the two foundations decided to use the same auditor and we were delighted to be successful in tendering for both contracts.”
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MANCHESTER-based legal recruiter BCL Legal said it had placed a record number of candidates with firms last year. The firm placed 430 candidates across its six offices – a rise of 18% on 2010.
The firm said that it launched a number of new divisions and initiatives last year and recruited several new team members, bringing total employee numbers up to 32.
Louisa Hill, private practice manager at BCL Legal, said: “As a business, we’re delighted with these results and they prove that we’re in tune with the demands and expectations of our clients and candidates.
“We’re conscious that some areas of the law are stronger than others so we’ve made sure that we’ve tailored our services to mirror market trends.”
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Daisy Group has been named as an O2-accredited partner.
Having acquired SpiriTel in November 2010, the Group has now re-launched SpiriTel Mobile as the new Daisy O2 Centre of Excellence.
The team running the programme is based at Daisy’s headquarters in Nelson, Lancashire, and has a proven track record in delivering mobile and data solutions tailored to the customer’s specific business requirements.
Daisy Mobile director Terry O’Brien said: “I am pleased to announce that SpiriTel Mobile, our O2 Centre of Excellence Team, will now be trading as Daisy.
“Over the coming weeks and months we are going to be focused on making the Daisy O2 Centre of Excellence a key part of the overall Daisy mobile offering.”
