News in Brief: Thursday March 13
LEEDS-BASED corporate clothing company Carl Keeting has secured a £50,000 investment from Partnership Investment Finance (PIF).
The company has been producing corporate wear for blue chip companies for more than 20 years but with strong competition from south east Asia, the management has been looking to expand into new markets.
The funds will allow the firm to diversify into complementary uniform markets and create new jobs in the future.
Partnership Investment Finance is a £37m investment fund aimed at supporting growing businesses in Yorkshire and Humber. It aims to encourage enterprise and economic regeneration by providing equity investments and loans to eligible businesses in the region's Objective 2 areas.
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THE newly appointed Romanian Ambassador to the UK is to launch a business network to help promote international trade between the Leeds region and Central and Eastern Europe.
The Central and Eastern Europe Business Network has been developed by a partnership between Leeds City Council, Alfran UK and YFM (Yorkshire Fund Managers) Group to help businesses make the most of trade opportunities in Europe – particularly Romania, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.
The network will combine the high profile relationships that Leeds City Council already enjoys in Romania, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria with the business expertise of consultants experienced in international trading in these regions.
The network will be launched at Eversheds' offices in Bridgewater Place on March 14.
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A TEAM of accountants from the Leeds office of Grant Thornton traded in their suits for a high-powered game of netball earlier this week in the name of Sport Relief.
The ladies team, captained by Kate Lawrenson, a corporate tax assistant at Grant Thornton, took on the men, led by Lyndon Firth, at Leeds University on Tuesday – and raised £500 for their efforts.
Drawing on their natural agility and skill, the ladies gave their opponents a good run for their money, but in the end were pipped to the post with a final score of 10 – 4 to the men.
Delighted with the amount raised for Sport Relief, Kate Lawrenson said: “In the end, the height and strength of the men won out, but we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and would like to thank everyone who donated. No doubt we'll be back next year to try and even the score!”
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EEF, the manufacturers' association has appointed Alan Hall as director responsible for its Northern, Yorkshire & Humberside and Sheffield Associations as part of a re-structuring of its northern business operations.
The new structure will maintain the EEF's centres in Sheffield, Leeds and Washington and combine resources to provide a better range of services for the manufacturing, engineering and technology-based sectors.
Alan Hall has been director of EEF's Northern Association since 2001. He previously held the position of deputy director at EEF Northern.
Alan Rowlinson will continue in his role as interim chief executive of EEF Yorkshire and Humberside to support Alan Hall in his new role until the end of June.
