North West Business Briefs: Genedrive; Camlee Group; United Utilities; Edge Hill University; Cheshire College S&W; AMBS

Genedrive, the Manchester-based molecular testing business, has agreed a distribution deal for its COVID-19 testing kit with Beckman Coulter Life Sciences.

It enables the firm, based in Indianapolis in the US, to sell and distribute the high-throughput COVID-19 PCR Kit in the United States and Europe.

Beckman Coulter estimates that this new solution could process around 1,000 PCR samples per workstation during a standard eight-hour working day.

David Budd, genedrive chief executive, said: “We are very pleased to have the partnership of Beckman Coulter in accessing significant COVID testing opportunities throughout the United States and Europe, where the incidence of COVID continues to escalate and the need for high throughout testing solutions remains a priority.

“The combination of genedrive and Beckman Coulter products and expertise provides the company with a new, innovative, and competitive solution, and a new sales channel for the American market, which we did not have previously.

“We are very pleased to now take our initial collaboration and development agreement to the commercial stage. Beckman Coulter is an important and significant company in these core geographies, well suited to promoting, selling, and supporting our products.”

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Lee Wojtkiw

Manchester-based Camlee Group acted as lead financial adviser to ESP Technologies UK on its sale to Tela Technology, for an undisclosed sum.

Tela’s product offering encompasses a broad range of solutions including mobile, fixed-line, connectivity, unified comms and IT managed services.

ESP specialises in communications consultancy and IT systems, as well as infrastructure cabling, business relocations and wireless solutions.

Lee Wojtkiw and Jessica Bradbury at the Sale-based Camlee Group provided corporate finance advice on the transaction. Lee said “Tela appeared to be a great fit as an acquirer, not just because of the synergies the opportunity presented, but because of the cultural fit between the two companies as well.”

Benjamin Dredge and James Lock of CG Professional provided legal advice on the transaction and Angela Hilton of Hull Jady accountants provided financial accounting advice.

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Phil Aspin

The North West’s water company, United Utilities attracted huge demand for its first ever sustainable bond issue, which was more than three times over-subscribed.
The £300m bond, which matures in October 2029, will be issued under the company’s Sustainable Finance Framework and will support investment across the North West.

The funds will go towards projects that improve the resilience of water and wastewater infrastructure, reduce carbon emissions, enhance catchments and support customers who are struggling to pay their bills.

Phil Aspin, UU’s chief finance officer, said: “This new bond attracted a wide range of institutional bond investors, with over 30% being allocated to investors outside the UK, providing a broad opportunity to directly support environmental and social aspects of our business and adding to around £2bn of environmental-orientated investment previously secured from the European Investment Bank.

“The investors really recognise the importance of deploying their capital to improve society and the environment. They like our sustainable finance framework and it’s fabulous for them to see their money being put to such great use.”

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Gary McDonnell and Anne Lambelin

Edge Hill University’s Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC) has reached a major milestone after welcoming the 100th small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) to pass through its scale-up programme.

Empty Plates, a catering provider in West Lancashire, is the 100th SME to progress through the PIC’s Innovation Sprint Programme, a scale-up initiative that supports companies to increase competitiveness and build resilience in their business model.

The Innovation Sprint Programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, has been available to Lancashire SMEs for the past three years and was recently extended until 2023.

Now in its second iteration, the programme will continue to support SMEs who have the potential to scale-up, with 50 hours of intense online workshops, facilitated by business and academic experts. The new phase will include additional elements of support, including productivity, workforce development and technology adoption.

Empty Plates is co-owned by Gary McDonnell and Anne Lambelin. Anne said: “The Innovation Sprint Programme has been a fabulous support, eye opener and thought-provoking process to put our new venture on track. The programme provides constructive criticism from the experts to help you unpick and address your challenges. We now have a plan in place that will drive our vision into the future.”

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Virtalis equipment in use

Learners at Cheshire College-South & West are set to unlock their digital superpowers as part of a new partnership, backed by the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, with industrial visualisation pioneers Virtalis.

Last month Virtalis launched an Immersive Design Lab at the college containing advanced virtual and augmented reality equipment, all of which is powered by its virtual reality software, Visionary Render. Supported by funding from the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnerships Local Growth Fund, the partnership was formed as part of a £5m programme of investment that has prioritised Cheshire College-South & West as one of the further education providers in the region best placed to deliver digital and STEM-related training and education.

Mark Parsons, assistant principal-curriculum, said: “Virtual and augmented reality is touching on our everyday work, education and social lives. It is already beginning to revolutionise a number of industries from healthcare and retail to engineering and this method of teaching and learning will become increasingly effective as new technologies emerge. I am extremely excited to see our learners continuously benefit from the partnership we have developed with Virtalis.”

The new equipment from Virtalis will be utilised by various departments across the college’s three campuses in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester, benefiting a wide range of learners including those studying engineering, construction and the built environment, hospitality and catering, visual arts, media and games and health and social care.

Virtalis chief executive, Robert Boers, said: “We are proud to team up with Cheshire College, an innovative and leading institute with a strong reputation. It’s great to know both students and enterprises will benefit from this partnership driving Industry 4.0 and immersive engineering.”

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Alliance Manchester Business School

Alliance Manchester Business School is partnering with national tax charity TaxAid to provide North West residents on low incomes with tax assistance and support, as part of the first student-run clinic of its kind in the UK.

A team of eight AMBS students will be given comprehensive training to support qualified tax professionals at the North West Tax Clinic (NWTC) in providing guidance and information for North West residents on low incomes, who are facing a tax problem they have been unable to resolve with HMRC.

From February the student team will manage a dedicated telephone helpline and will gather relevant background information to share with the team of tax professionals. The clinic operates on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am-4pm.

Launched in January 2020, the clinic – which provides free, expert and confidential advice on a range of tax issues – is also supported by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) and Lancaster University, and has already had a positive impact on the North West region, having saved in excess of £15,000 for local residents on low incomes since it was launched.

Wendy Wild, senior lecturer in accounting at Alliance Manchester Business School, said: “The NWTC is a brilliant initiative, and has already had a huge impact on many people across the North West struggling with tax issues, so it’s a privilege to be partnering with the team. Our students are dedicated to making a difference in the local community, and it’s fantastic they are able to support such an important cause.”