News in brief: Translation firm’s £450,000 investment & more
THE Translation People is putting the accent on technology with a £450,000 investment programme.
The firm, which has its headquarters in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, has completed a £250,000 upgrade to its software and IT systems and plans to spend a further £200,000 this year.
A variety of new features, including improved translation memory and terminology management software, mean its translators can work faster, more efficiently and with greater consistency, while broadband connections at all of the company’s offices have been upgraded.
Managing director Steve Wilde said the investment enhances the firm’s service to customers, reduces costs to clients worldwide and is already helping it to win bigger projects with companies in sectors such as engineering, retail and insurance.
Mr Wilde added: “Technology plays a key role in the translation business and our investment improves productivity, quality and consistency. It also enables us to pass on significant cost savings to our clients.
“The upgrade makes our business more scalable, as it means we can handle larger projects for companies and organisations across the globe.
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ANIMATION Toolkit, a global supplier of animation products which counts Disney and Dreamworks among its client base, has teamed up with Greater Manchester’s Business Growth Hub to enhance its portfolio and boost its performance.
The Manchester-based business has created a successful range of animation products including armatures – jointed skeletal frames – that are used by professional animation studios including Disney, Dreamworks and ITV.
The company was established in 2006 by award-winning producer and director Westley Wood, who has over 15 years’ experience working in TV and animated films. Westley currently sits on the board of Manimation, an event set up by MIDAS to raise the profile of animation in Manchester.
The business teamed up with special effects titan Ray Harryhausen in 2012 to bring its world famous Armacreature armature kit to market.
Following the collaboration, the business is expecting sales to top £250,000 this year with a long-term strategy in place that will help the company become the ‘go to’ place for animation supplies within the next three years.
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SECURE Trust Bank Commercial Finance has provided start-up business, MBM Display and Digital Limited, with a £50,000 invoice discounting line to support the acquisition of Tell Tale Signs.
The Lancashire-based company manufactures signs and offers advertising solutions to local businesses in the form of window graphics, plaques and murals. The facility provided by Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance will be used to help fund the acquisition of Chorley-based manufacturer, Tell Tale Signs.
As part of the deal, the two companies will trade under the name MBM Display and Digital Limited. The facility will also be used to improve cash flow for the business and help fund new machinery, enabling them to fulfil their long-term growth strategy.
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A BUS service launched in September to service Liverpool and Chester’s major shopping hubs has ferried more than 130,000.
Stagecoach Merseyside and South Lancashire opened the X8 route linking some of the region’s biggest shopping and employment areas, including Cheshire Oaks and Liverpool ONE.
Managing director of Stagecoach, Elisabeth Tasker said: : “When we launched the we knew it would have an important role to play in connecting communities in Chester and Liverpool and enabling them to reach key retail destinations. It’s great to see people responding so positively to this new travel option, which is comparable to doing the journey by car but much more convenient and sustainable.”
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KITCHEN, bedroom and bathroom manufacturer J & J Ormerod (JJO) has appointed accountants and business advisors Beever and Struthers to provide audit and company tax advice and services.
J & J Ormerod was founded in 1876 and has grown into a major supplier of kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms with 360 staff at 1.1m sq ft premises at Colonial House in Bacup, Lancashire.
Beever and Struthers – which has 20 partners at offices in Manchester, Blackburn and London – previously helped JJO to save in excess of £30,000 by claiming significant tax relief on its research and development (R&D) spending via R&D tax credits which in turn, enhanced working capital to help to grow the business.
Iain Round, partner at Beever and Struthers, heads the specialist team providing audit and company tax services for JJO and said: “J & J Ormerod plc is a prestigious addition to our expanding client base and our ability to provide tailored accountancy advice to such businesses reflects the breadth and depth of our expert offering.”
