North West Business Briefs: Healthcare Medical; Truth Creative; Sheridan Lifts; Rumpus

Truth Creative has delivered a new brand identity and strategy for AIM-listed alternative finance provider Time Finance.

Formerly known as the 1pm plc Group of Companies, the Time Finance portfolio of financial solutions businesses are now clearly identifiable within a unified brand framework.

Diane Blinkhorn, interim head of marketing at Time Finance, said: “Developing and launching a new brand identity and strategy for Time Finance has been a long journey and it’s fantastic to now be able to live and breathe the results of our work with Truth Creative.

“The stakeholder feedback we have received has been incredibly positive and we now look forward to continued growth as a recognisable force in the alternative finance market serving UK SMEs. I’d like to thank the team at Truth Creative for their hard work and support.”

Jo Scott, co-founder and Managing Partner of Truth Creative, which has an office in Manchester, said: “One of Truth’s great strengths is working with businesses to deliver brand strategies that support their growth ambitions. Our work for Time Finance is a great example of that.”

Two Cumbrian pharmacies have been snapped up by Rochdale-based Healthcare Medical for an undisclosed sum.

The pharmacies – trading as Alneburgh Pharmacy and H S Dobie Chemist and based in in Maryport, a town on the west coast of Cumbria, were sold by specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co.

Muhammad Muther comments, “I had been in the market for a growth orientated opportunity. As a company, we were trying to grow with the help of Christie & Co, and our aim was to buy a number of pharmacies that would work with our business strategy.

“These two pharmacies offer growth and brand repositioning in a patient focussed arena. Our ultimate vision is to create a solid foundation for growth and to keep adding pharmacies to the group so that our ethics and service is recognised throughout our pharmacy footprint.”

Karl Clezy, director at Christie & Co, said: “Both pharmacies complement each other well, serving a high proportion of the town’s population with only one other pharmacy located in Maryport.

“Although trading successfully, there is potential for the new owners to expand both pharmacies by offering more additional services that will benefit the community.”

Chris Chadwick, Sheridan Lifts

Sheridan Lifts has been awarded the lift maintenance contracts for Stockport Homes Group – making this their biggest contract to date.

This award will increase Sheridan’s presence in the Stockport borough with more than 430 lifts.

Service director Chris Chadwick said: “The award of the Stockport Homes contract speaks absolute volumes on how far we have come as a business, this is a huge achievement and one I am personally thrilled with winning.”

The lifts in question are a mixture of commercial and domestic lifting equipment.

Rumpus has been appointed by MSC

MCS, the national standards organisation for domestic renewables, has appointed Manchester-based PR and social media agency, Rumpus, to deliver its state-of-the-nation report on small-scale renewable technology in Britain.

Set to go live in late March, the project will see Rumpus manage a multi-channel campaign fronted by MCS, to paint a historical picture of renewable energy uptake in England, Scotland, and Wales – and what needs to be done to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Paul Evans, managing director at Rumpus, said: “With the government announcing its 10-point plan for a “Green Industrial Revolution” late last year, but pulling back on its green commitments in the latest Budget, sustainability will remain high on the agenda through 2021.

“As the leading certification scheme for domestic renewables, MCS is perfectly placed to lead the conversation and educate the British public on the benefits of decarbonising our homes.”

Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS, said: “The UK has reached a crucial point where we need to do more if we are to achieve our goal of net zero emissions by 2050. Our report into the state of renewables in Britain paints a vivid picture of where we are lacking and presents a real opportunity for us to step up our collective efforts.”