North West Business Briefs: WN VTech; Stephensons; Silentnight; Liverpool BID Company; United Utilities; Hydes Brewery
Specialist vehicle manufacturer, WN VTech, has introduced vehicle electrification into the funeral transport sector with the unveiling of its new all-electric hearse and limousine pairing, with technological innovation from market leader Coleman Milne.
The products are the first of their kind for the UK, and form part of the North West-based group’s wider expansion plans to deliver sustainable technologies and cutting edge innovation across the UK’s specialist vehicles industries. Both vehicles are to be offered to the UK and European markets and will be available for demonstration in the first half of 2023 with type approval for the model set to be achieved by the end of the first quarter of this year.
The launch of the first electric hearse and limousine pairing indicates significant progress for the wider UK EV sector. WN VTech has been instrumental in expanding the range of sustainable transport vehicles in the market – last year the WN VTech group launched the first all-electric front line ambulance.
With ambitious growth plans for 2023 and beyond, WN VTech is eyeing continued innovation across the range of specialist vehicle markets it serves this year, utilising the technological expertise across the group.
The WN VTech group is formed of six specialist vehicle brands – Mellor, Coleman Milne, BINZ International, Treka Bus, VCS Ltd and Promtech Technologies. CEO, Frank Barrett, said: “I’m incredibly proud to be at the forefront of delivering sustainable and accessible methods of transports in the UK market. The unveiling of the UK’s first electric hearse and limousine is a trailblazing moment for the wider global EV industry and demonstrates the opportunities that we have to support carbon reduction objectives through our world leading expertise in technological innovations.”
Graham Clow, national sales director at Coleman Milne, said: “We are thrilled that our long standing vision of delivering an electric hearse to the funeral transport market has come to life. Our forward thinking innovation and collaboration across the WN VTech group, has helped us to deliver a vehicle not yet seen in the funeral transport space.”
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The iconic Manchester bee is to be emblazoned on certified plastic-free takeaway cups throughout the city, which can be effortlessly recycled with paper and card after use. Launched by the family-run catering equipment business, Stephensons, around five per cent will be donated to the life-changing We Love MCR charity.
Celebrating the city’s identity and helping the region cut single-use plastics, the cup builds on the momentum created by its widely recognised bee straws, which launched in 2018. Granted the rights by Manchester City Council, Stephensons is one of the few companies to have the official rights to use the iconic bee symbol.
The certified plastic-free, environmentally-friendly cup is adorned with the Manchester worker bee, a symbol of the city’s resilience and work ethic and the embodiment of the Mancunian spirit. The cup’s design originates from the striking Manchester bee mosaic in the city’s town hall, with the symbol visible throughout the city, from lamp posts to street art, bins and beyond.
Lord Mayor of Manchester, Donna Ludford, who is chair of We Love MCR, said: “I’m passionate about improving the city for all our communities, so it’s fantastic to partner with Stephensons which shares that ambition. After the success of the bee straws, which I love to see across our city, I can’t wait to see their beautiful coffee cups in cafes, bars, and venues throughout Manchester. They’ll make a great impact in helping reduce waste, and the donations made to We Love MCR will help us to improve more lives across Manchester.”
Stephensons managing director, Henry Stephenson said: “We came up with the idea of putting the bee mosaic on a disposable cup when we launched the straw back in 2018, but it was only until recently that the technology finally arrived, allowing us to put the bee on a truly sustainable, certified plastic-free cup. We’re proud to see both the cup and the straw as a simple but powerful statement from the city’s hospitality industry, reflecting its collective commitment to sustainability.”
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Bex Wilson
Barnoldswick bed maker Silentnight, has delivered more than 900 mattresses and beds to children’s charity Zarach since the start of its partnership in August.
The announcement coincides with this month’s National Bed Month, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of sleep and the role of a good bed to achieve it. Silentnight partnered with the charity last year to help deliver beds and other sleep products to children in poverty. It has provided 514 mattresses and 391 divans since then. It also works with Comfy Group, the bedding licensing manufacturer, which has provided 831 Silentnight pillows and duvets as part of the scheme.
Zarach was established in 2017 by schoolteacher Bex Wilson, who was teaching primary school children that were struggling to focus due to sleep deprivation. She founded the charity to ensure all children have access to somewhere safe and comfortable to sleep to enable them to succeed at school.
Bex said: “Since we began the fight against child bed poverty in 2018, I’ve remained convinced that with the right partnerships we can, together, succeed in our mission to ensure every head has a bed and for every child to have the opportunity to eat, sleep and learn. We are thrilled to receive such a large, generous donation of high quality, brand new items. We feel privileged to be working with such a giant of the sleep industry.”
Lucy Atherton, sleep marketing manager at Silentnight, said: “Zarach are doing a fantastic job in both raising awareness of sleep poverty and providing essential sleep products to children that need them. We’re committed to continuing to support them throughout our partnership but know more can be done to help Britain’s children get a better night’s sleep.”
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Liverpool is one of five places to take part in a pilot scheme designed to help businesses recycle. From 2023, new regulations will require all businesses, healthcare establishments and academic institutions to separate glass bottles and jars, metal food and drink cans, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays, paper and cardboard for recycling. Food businesses, like cafes, restaurants, pubs or other premises preparing or selling food will also have to separate food waste for recycling.
The pilot scheme, led by Liverpool BID Company and WRAP, the business recycling support scheme, is designed to guide businesses through the process, using a new online hub and one-to-one support, to ensure they are adhering to the new rules.
The new website, Business of Recycling hub (BoR hub) guides businesses through the process. Liverpool BID will support the project through a five-step programme that helps businesses to understand the new rules and their duty of care, to carry out a waste audit and an action plan to meet the new regulations, to calculate the savings and cost for their action plan and implement it across their business. The pilot schemes will allow businesses to evaluate what has worked and what can be improved when the scheme is rolled out nationwide. The pilot scheme will run until April 23.
Phil Eccles, waste and recycling advisor: “This pilot is designed to ensure that every business knows how the new rules will impact them and support them in their plan to deliver. It can be daunting and confusing so this step by step guide will help remove a lot of confusion and demystify the process with tailored one on one support. We are delighted Liverpool BID will be able to empower the businesses in Liverpool city centre to ensure all firms are compliant.”
Shaun Holland, director of operations at Liverpool BID Company, said: “With Liverpool’s Net Zero ambitions it is critical that businesses throughout the city feel confident in their ability to adopt and adapt to any new legislation. Recycling isn’t just good for businesses, it is good for the environment, but we know how confusing it will be. We are pleased that this pilot scheme will enable us to identify what works and what additional support our businesses may need to take their recycling to the next level.”
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PayPoint has signed a contract with North West water and wastewater group United Utilities which will allow its customers to pay their water bills at any PayPoint retailer partner in the region, from March 15.
This will apply to all customers who pay their water bills via United Utilities’ Water Card or Pay by cash options. A Water Card enables customers to make budget payments towards their bills, while Pay by cash is full bill payment by customers taking their bills, which host a unique barcode, into a store to be scanned and paid for over the counter.
United Utilities delivers 1.8 billion litres of water a day to more than three million homes and businesses in the North West, including Liverpool and Manchester. PayPoint currently has more than 3,350 retailer partners in the North West – of 28,000 nationally – which guarantees easy, local access no matter where United Utilities customers are based in the region.
Danny Vant, director of client services at PayPoint, said: “This contract has been won thanks to the reliability, scale and local presence of PayPoint’s network across the North West. Our retailers already provide a range of essential day-to-day services to communities across the region and this addition further strengthens their role as a one-stop destination for local communities.”
Penelope Walton, head of sales and billing integrity at United Utilities, said: “There are already a huge range of options for our customers to pay their bills, and this is part of our ongoing commitment to make things as easy and convenient as we can.”
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Apprentice brewer Tom Allkins serves company secretary Adam Hyde a pint to celebrate the anniversary
North West family-owned brewery and pub retailer Hydes is celebrating 160 years of success with a programme of commemorative activities planned throughout the year.
Hydes originated when brothers Alfred and Ralf Hyde acquired a small brewing concern in Manchester from their grandfather Thomas Shaw in 1863, beginning a brewing dynasty that would go on to mark its 160th anniversary this year. As Hydes’ business developed it was managed by a variety of family members from different generations, and increasing success led to it outgrowing its premises several times.
In 1899, with William and Annie Hyde in control, the business moved to its long-term home at the Queens Brewery site in Brooks Bar, Manchester. It was under their leadership that the company began acquiring an estate of public houses through which to distribute more of Hydes products. In 2012, after over 100 years, the company ended its tenure at the Queens Brewery and relocated to its existing site in Salford’s Media City, the Beer Studio.
To mark the 160th milestone, Hydes will be staging a number of commemorative activities and promotions throughout 2023. Planned activities include commemorative 160th anniversary branding which will appear on bar pump clips and across the pub estate, charity and fundraising initiatives, new products including an anniversary cocktail and the launch of a specially brewed Anniversary Ale, pub dining and drink promotions with pints available for just £1.60, and the introduction of Ralf & Alf’s Summer Ale Trail to coincide with the 160th anniversary month in July.
Managing director, Adam Mayers, said: “2023 is a big year for Hydes as July marks our 160th anniversary. Reaching 160 years is an achievement to be immensely proud of especially in the current economic climate with all the challenges facing the brewing and pub retail industry. Everyone in the business can be proud of helping us to achieve this significant milestone.”
