North West business briefs: Centaur; Metrolink; Wirral Met College; IKO; Young Person’s Guarantee; AJ Bell
Specialist roofing manufacturer, Centaur, has expanded its operations and manufacturing capabilities.
A long-standing customer of Lancashire County Council’s business loans provider, Rosebud Finance, Centaur originally secured a £250,000 loan in 2013 to help establish the company. Launched in 2012 after two years of extensive research and development, Centaur manufactures cutting-edge liquid roofing systems. Committed to futureproofing, the resulting product is non-flammable, non-toxic to the environment and ultra-low odour.
When initially starting up the business, Jeremy Gorick and Phil Richardson sought financial support to help fund the growth of the company and development of the technology. After assessing the options available, they were drawn to Rosebud as a local lender, and secured a £250,000 loan. Since then, the teams have worked together to advise on and support business expansion.
Since the initial support, Centaur has grown from a team of three, based in a small unit in Leyland, to a 26-strong and growing team of experts in a purpose-built new factory in Preston. The move to manufacturing enabled them to benefit from the economics of scale that ‘own manufacturing’ brings. With intensive investment in the new unit, including the machinery, Centaur is now one of the most automated polyurethane production plants in the world, with its products sold nationwide and across Europe.
Phil Richardson, co-founder and managing director at Centaur, said: “Our aim has always been to be the safest roofing waterproofing system of choice for architects, surveyors and contractors alike. With the innovations in technology that we have developed and launched we are within touching distance of achieving our long-term goal.”
Jonathan Nelson, fund manager for Rosebud Finance at GC Business Finance, said: “This is a real Lancashire success story, and testament to what businesses can achieve with support early on in their journey. Having secured initial funding during the R&D phase, it has been great to see Centaur grow over the years, and how Rosebud can enable ambitious entrepreneurs across Lancashire to unlock this growth.”
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Due to a cracked rail at Victoria, a Metrolink service change has been in place from the start of service this Tuesday (January 16).
Altrincham to Bury and Manchester Airport to Victoria services will run via Exchange Square. Passengers wanting to use Shudehill or Market Street stops are advised to change at Victoria and use Piccadilly-bound services. The changes will be in place until the end of service on Friday, January 19, to allow some temporary repairs and further investigation of the rails to take place.
It comes ahead of a delayed start to services on Sunday, which will also see service changes on several lines. No trams will operate before 9am on Sunday, January 21, while essential works are carried out. During this time there will be no dedicated bus replacement service in place.
While trams will begin to leave the depot at around 9am, it will not be until 10.30am before a normal service is expected to resume on most lines. On the same day work will also take place on the track between Piccadilly and Ashton-under-Lyne, which will see trams on the Altrincham, Bury and Eccles lines operate to Piccadilly Gardens only. A bus replacement service will be in operation. On-stop display screens and public announcement systems at stops across the network may also take a little time to return to normal.
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Head of Metrolink, said: “While the weekend works are planned, the nature of a large network like ours also means that unfortunately there are unplanned works that we need to manage – and over the next couple of days a team of engineers will be making some temporary repairs and undertaking a full inspection of a cracked rail at Victoria. We’ll have plenty of staff across the network to help customers, but I’d encourage anyone planning to travel with us to plan ahead and check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”
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Gas engineer apprentices
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust and Wirral Met College have announced the successful accomplishment of their ambitious goal of securing 100 apprenticeship pledges within a span of 100 working days. Working in partnership, the organisations have reached this milestone, marking a significant achievement in their commitment to fostering vocational training and educational opportunities for aspiring apprentices.
As a result of the scheme, small to medium-sized employers across Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region have gained much needed financial support for the recruitment of apprentices, as well as receiving training and development for existing employees to support their progression within the organisation.
The campaign garnered substantial attention and support from local businesses, demonstrating their dedication to investing in the development of the future workforce. Employers across diverse industries have recognised the value of apprenticeships in nurturing talent and bridging the gap between education and practical skills in the workplace.
WUTH Chief People Officer, Debs Smith, said: “We are really pleased that our innovative partnership with Wirral Met College has benefited so many local employers and our community. As the largest employer on Wirral, employing over 6,500 staff, we have a vested interest in supporting our local residents into employment and investing in skills in the wider economy. We have so many job opportunities outside of what you might expect in a hospital in terms of doctors and nurses, as we have roles in estates, admin and finance for example – so developing a talent pool is vital.”
Gill Banks, Principal and CEO at Wirral Met College, said: “We are immensely proud of achieving our target of 100 apprenticeship pledges. Through this initiative, we’ve witnessed first-hand the transformative impact apprenticeships have on both individuals and employers, bridging the gap between education and industry needs. We remain dedicated to continuing this journey, providing valuable opportunities for apprentices and supporting businesses in shaping a skilled workforce for the future.”
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Anthony Carlyle and Liam Burbridge, Everton and England amputee footballer
Wigan-based roofing manufacturer, IKO, is helping national amputee football reach new heights and win more fans worldwide after striking a sponsorship deal that will see the elite sport broadcast live for the first time.
IKO has become headline sponsor of the England Amputee Football Association (EAFA) National Football League (EAFL), supporting EAFA throughout 2024, from providing new kit and equipment to live streaming matches. The deal will see the EAFL rebranded as the ‘IKO EAFL’ ahead of the new season, which kicks off at the end of this month.
The EAFA provides amputees, people with congenital limb deficiencies and those with limb-affecting disabilities, with the opportunity to play football at grassroots and international level. The EAFL is the primary highlight of the association’s calendar, with teams from prominent clubs, such as Everton, Chelsea and Portsmouth competing. All fixtures for the 2024 season will be played at Reaseheath College, in Nantwich, Cheshire, and broadcast across the EAFA Facebook and YouTube channels.
Owen Coyle Jr, member of the EAFA committee, said: “This sponsorship injects vital support into the operations and continuation of the EAFL, a cornerstone platform for players across England. By facilitating this league, IKO has helped to ensure a structured and competitive environment for clubs and players to participate, develop their skills and foster a sense of camaraderie within their communities.”
Anthony Carlyle, group managing director at IKO PLC, said: “People sit at the heart of everything we do at IKO and we are always striving to positively impact the communities that we work and live in. EAFA, with its dedication to inclusivity, sense of community, holistic support and enduring team spirit – combined with its deeply ambitious vision for a brighter future – closely aligns with our values, making it a perfect fit for forging a partnership.”
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Steve Rotheram
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram’s Young Person’s Guarantee (YPG) has taken another major step forward and is on course to help thousands more young people across the Liverpool City Region into work or training.
The YPG, which was one of the Mayor’s manifesto pledges, promised a job, training or apprenticeship opportunity to every young person out of work, education or training for more than six months. More than 10,000 jobs and 7,000 apprenticeships have been created through initiatives including the YPG, the Be More app and the transfer of millions of pounds in unspent Apprenticeship Levy to smaller companies.
Building on this success, the Combined Authority has approved £795,000 from the Strategic Investment Fund to further support under-25s. A new scheme will see wage incentives of £3,000 offered to local employers who recruit young people. The aim is to get 240 more people aged 18 to 25 into education, employment or training over the next three years.
The new scheme will support an additional 720 young people with one-to-one personal advice and mentoring. It will aim to give 4,500 young people aged 18-24 access to job opportunities by 2026.
Mayor Steve Rotheram, said: “As Mayor, I’m doing everything in my power to connect people to opportunities and attract more jobs to our area but, to get to the front of the queue, we need to ensure local people have the skills and experience to seize the opportunities that lie ahead for our economy. The investments we’re making have helped to create tens of thousands of jobs and training opportunities for people in our area. I’m incredibly proud of this achievement, however, what really matters to me is that we can improve people’s life chances.”
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The AJ Bell Futures Foundation has welcomed its third principal charity partner, Stop.Breathe.Think – a game changing mental health service for young people in the UK.
Stop.Breathe.Think provides young people aged 8-21 with free access to 1-2-1 virtual counselling sessions, avoiding wait times to provide vital support to those who need it right now. Since its launch in 2021, Stop.Breathe.Think has supported more than 3,000 young people with the delivery of in excess of 17,000 counselling sessions, working alongside 127 youth organisations nationally.
The AJ Bell Futures Foundation will make an annual donation of £100,000 to Stop.Breathe.Think to fully fund 400 young people through the fast-tracked counselling service, and support with the service’s growth in the North West and inner city London. Through the partnership, Stop.Breathe.Think will also deliver mental health workshops for AJ Bell employees focusing on topics such as resiliency.
Peter Birch, Foundation trustee, said: “The AJ Bell Futures Foundation has proved to be a huge force for good in its first year since launch and it’s been a privilege to see this impact first-hand. Welcoming Stop.Breathe.Think to our incredible line up of partners is an exciting development, and hopefully means we can make a real difference to the mental health and wellbeing of local young people.”
Dan Charlish, founder of Stop.Breathe.Think, said: “This new partnership with the AJ Bell Futures Foundation will give a huge boost to the work of Stop.Breathe.Think, as we seek to widen access to counselling and mental health support to the young people who need it the most. Together we can have a significant and life changing impact, and we look forward to supporting hundreds of young people in the North West and in London through this positive partnership.”
