IN BRIEF G4S Assessment Services, part of the G4S
group of companies, which has over 45 years’ experience within the training industry through the design and delivery of a wide range of business and L&D training courses, has launched two new training programmes to the private sector. The courses are ‘Effective Speed Reading and Comprehension’, which uses a variety of exercises to boost delegates reading speeds, and ‘Immigration Points-Based System Workshop for Employers’, which is aimed at medium to large companies, with particular relevance for HR officers and managers. For more details visit
www.g4sassessmentservices.com
Six enterprising students from the University
of the West of England (UWE) have won the £3,000 top prize in the Grand Finals of FLUX500, a national business challenge competition. The UWE team triumphed against 31 teams from universities across the UK at the event, which was hosted by City of Bristol College at its South Bristol Skills Academy in Hengrove. The winning team consisted of Alex Green, Safiyyah Henderson, Raphael Nagel, Marcel Nobrega, Ariana-Alexander Sefre and Chris Dalley, and was coached by Enterprise Project staff Iheanyi Ibe, Kim Brookes, Ricardo De Marchi, Kim Jones and the UWE Ideas Factory.
Bristol Airport is confident of landing new destinations following its attendance at Routes Europe, an annual conference that brings together airports and airlines to discuss new flight opportunities. Airport representatives met with 20 airlines during the three-day event in Sardinia, and an iPad presentation, developed with locally-based creative agencies SBW and Noisy Little Monkey, put the business case for services to and from the region. Bristol Airport’s aviation director Shaun Browne said: “Our presentation was very well received. Bristol is fast becoming a destination which other airports want to see on their departure boards. Early indications for 2012 are very encouraging and we anticipate being in a position to make several significant announcements over the coming months.”
The specialist payroll-services team at South
West accountants, Bishop Fleming, is celebrating record growth. The team now provides outsourced payroll services to more than 360 companies, administering payments of more than £250 million per year for over 11,000 employees. Those figures equate to a growth rate topping 12 per cent. Jerry O’Sullivan, Bishop Fleming’s chief executive, said: “Despite successive government’s claims that they will reduce red tape, payroll regulations remain a major pain for most owner-managed businesses. Our team provides a low-cost way of complying with all those regulations and ensuring that their staff are paid correctly and on-time.”
26
Firm constructs an international alliance
Construction material supplier UBM Overseas Limited (UBMO) has announced a partnership with Qatar-based Mannai Corporation that will see the creation of a new branch, UBMO Mannai, operating under its trading arm Mannai Trading Company WLL. The business will be headed by General Manager Robert El Cham.
Alekh Grewal, chief executive officer of Mannai Corporation, said: “Qatar is experiencing a time of unparalleled economic development, and we expect this growth to continue in the foreseeable future.
Celebrating the partnership, from left: Robert El Cham, General Manager UBMO-Mannai; Nigel Turner, Director UBMO;Alekh Grewal, CEO Mannai Corporation; Duncan Turner, Sales Manager, UBMO; and Sathosh krishnamoorthy, Senior Business Analyst, Mannai Corporation
“Our strategic venture with UBM Overseas will provide a ‘one-stop’ service for construction companies – a valuable advantage as the demands of the construction sector increases with the expansion of Qatar’s economy.”
Nigel Turner, director of UBMO, believes customers in Qatar will benefit from the combined expertise of the two companies. “With Mannai’s dominant market position, and UBM Overseas’ manufacturers network and extensive experience, clients can be sure that they will be offered exceptional services as well as competitively-priced construction products,” he said.
Giraffe spotted in Bath!
Family-friendly restaurant group Giraffe has opened its first site in Bath at SouthGate shopping centre.
The restaurant offers everything from award-winning breakfasts, all day brunch and gourmet burgers to superfood healthy salads, and drinks ranging from fair trade coffee to cocktails, beers and wines. There is also a separate children’s menu with puzzles and games to keep them entertained.
Bath’s Deputy Mayor Marian McNeir (left) with Giraffe restaurant owners Juliette and Russel Joffe
Owners Russel and Juliette Joffe said they had been looking for a site in Bath for a while. “It’s a lovely part of the world with lots of character and when the opportunity came up to open at the SouthGate shopping centre, we all agreed it would be the perfect fit,” said Juliette. “We’ve already opened to a great start and Bath residents seem to be really enjoying our fantastic breakfast and brunch dishes, our healthy salads and brilliant burgers as well as our contemporary cocktails and fine wines.”
Local printer continues to defy recession Bristol-based Whitehall Printing, which has traded in the city for more than 30 years, has bucked the economic trend by enjoying a year of rapid growth.
Increased demand for its high quality print has even forced the family business to relocate to a larger factory in central Bristol. The move will enable Whitehall to install additional printing presses to double its operating capacity, and new jobs are also likely to be created. Brothers Adam and Joe Bendon took over their father Colin’s company five years ago, and in the
last 12 months they have seen a 30 per cent increase in sales on the previous year. Sales director Joe said: “We’re delighted that the recent growth has enabled us to
expand to a larger facility where we can offer our clients an even greater range of print services. It also ensures we’ll have the capacity to maintain the high standards of service and quality Dad has worked so hard for.”
The firm is holding an open day in July for clients old and new to tour the new premises. Members of Business
West who are interested in attending should email
enquiries@whitehallprinting.co.uk or to visit
www.whitehallprinting.co.uk for more information.
Business West Update JULY/AUGUST 2011
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