North West Business Briefs: Ceedbox; BURN; Inc & Co; M&S Bank Arena; SYPO
A new business has been spun out of Manchester logistics group Cardinal Maritime to service a fast-growing market for digital platforms in the sector, creating 10 jobs on top of 10 existing roles.
Ceedbox Technology Solutions, led by managing director Alex Grant, is being backed by Cardinal Maritime and Chelmsford-based Woodland Group to take proprietary technology ‘Leda’ to the market. Brian Hay, Cardinal Maritime CEO, said: “We could see the potential for Alex to build something for the business, but also something for the freight community. But there was only so much we could do ourselves. To further develop the product, we needed some outside input from the industry, and some investment to do it.”
Alex Grant and his team of software engineers have spent the past three years as a self-managed unit within the Cardinal Maritime business. They have been developing the Leda software platform in response to a growing demand from customers for the real-time tracking of goods in their supply chains.
Twelve months ago, Hay approached Kevin Stevens, CEO and chairman at Woodland Group, to see if he was interested in helping to develop the product further. After their initial discussions, Woodland agreed to become a shareholder in Ceedbox, alongside Cardinal Maritime and Alex Grant.
Stevens said: “Our business expertise and experience of the road and air freight market allow us to contribute fresh ideas to accelerate the development of Leda. That has proven to be the case already. Ceedbox sits in the middle as a neutral business but is working with ideas from both Cardinal and Woodland.”
Leda, which stands for Logistics Enterprise Data Application, started life as a purchase order management system, but it has been continually developed since its inception in 2017.
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Lisa Maynard-Atem
The Black United Representation Network CIC (BURN) is preparing to launch a new initiative to provide leaders of black-owned businesses with their own board of advisors.
The organisation, which is focused on the economic and social empowerment of the black community within the Greater Manchester region, will provide each business access to its own board of experienced business leaders, offering a range of experience from finance to HR to business planning, depending on the needs of the business.
The board of advisors will perform a similar role to that which non-executive directors play in large businesses, offering support, challenge and an external perspective to the executive team. The aim is to help businesses become more efficient, productive and competitive by offering services free for a year.
BURN is partnering with Be the Business, a not-for-profit business support organisation, to offer the programme, which is also being run in association with the North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT).
Lisa Maynard-Atem, BURN manager director, said: “As a black business leader myself, I understand only too well the unique challenges that we face when it comes to the world of business. This programme will give board members the opportunity to learn more about these challenges and present new ways to overcome them. They will also be helping to open doors, break down barriers and get black organisations closer to that all important seat at the table which has eluded us for far too long.”
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Jack Mason
Manchester-based Inc & Co has announced the launch of its retail arm, with the acquisition of luxury bag & accessories brand, KNOMO, and high street healthy eatery, Chop’d, for undisclosed sums.
These acquisitions signify the launch of Inc Retail Group, which will add 90 staff to the growing Inc Retail brand.
With 13 stores on the UK high street, including Manchester city centre’s Cross Street, Chop’d will now form part of its retail offering which will grow unique and innovative brands. This includes KNOMO, with four partner retailers in Manchester alone.
Inc Retail Group will be headed up by newly-appointed experienced industry expert Dan Shaw, who has been brought on board as managing director of the retail group: “Dan and I have a unique shared vision for how we believe we can reimagine the high street and he brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience to make that vision come to life,” said Inc founder Jack Mason.
Mr Shaw, the former board director at Jones Bootmaker, most recently headed up retail innovation at intu shopping centres. He brings extensive experience in wholesale, franchise, and retail operations and is looking to bring several brands to sit within the retail group that complement Inc & Co’s vision.
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Beth Tweddle
Olympians Beth Tweddle and Max Whitlock have been confirmed as ambassadors for the Federation of International Gymnastics World Gymnastics Championships 2022.
The world-class gymnasts will support the tournament, which will be held in Liverpool next year and will be one of the largest international sporting events ever to be held in the city.
A total of 550 gymnasts from 75 countries will compete in the global event at the M&S Bank Arena, which takes place from October 29 until November 6 2022.
As Britain’s greatest ever female gymnast, Tweddle is an Olympic bronze medallist, triple World Champion, six-time European Champion and Commonwealth Champion. She said: “I trained in Liverpool my whole gymnastics career and proudly called the city my home. I can’t put into words how excited I am that we’ll be hosting the World Gymnastics Championships in 2022 and I’m honoured to be an ambassador.”
Double Olympic medallist and triple world champion Whitlock is Britain’s greatest ever gymnast. He said: “I’m immensely proud to be an ambassador for this event which is one of the most significant championships on the gymnastics calendar. I competed at the M&S Bank Arena in the National Championships in 2016. The atmosphere was incredible, and the crowd was amazing – to be now hosting the World Championships in the city is fantastic.”
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Alan Jewitt
An expanding South Lakeland software and website development company has doubled its workforce and created five full-time jobs.
SYPO (System Potential) has also increased its annual turnover by around 30% and managing director Alan Jewitt says he would not rule out further recruitment as the company has a healthy order book.
Based at Meadowbank Business Park, Kendal, SYPO is a team of web and technical specialists, which helps companies design, create, manage and promote their online business. It sets up bespoke e-commerce websites, where customers can order and pay for products.
The need for SYPO to double its web development team from five to 10 has come from developing online platforms for hosting virtual sales exhibition events. Alan said: “Many companies are used to attending expos where they set up a stand, people look around them and they are able to talk to them face to face. Those in-person events all stopped last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so we are now creating virtual versions, where people attend online. We replicate elements of a live expo, such as product information downloads, feedback forms, quizzes and games and there could be a live text or video chat available.”
He added: “We are about to start work on a big project to be delivered in mid-2021 and we are quoting for work which runs throughout the year, so we expect business to continue to grow.”
