12 news
Patrona takes MAS return ticket to UK manufacturing
The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) has supported a London-based company, Patrona Luggage, in switching the production of its innovative travel accessory from a Chinese factory to a Hampshire manufacturer. The move has resulted in significant results for both companies, safeguarding UK jobs and significantly improving quality, leadtimes and profits.
Patrona Luggage had experienced a major quality issue with its Chinese factory partner in 2012, and subsequently could not get its tools out of the factory. The company approached MAS for support and advice for repatriating the manufacture of its popular Shirt Shuttle to the UK and, at the same time, improving the design, manufacturing quality, as well as lead times and availability.
With the help of an MAS design grant, Patrona validated much of its design before commencing tooling. By working in partnership with BEC Group in Hampshire, the MAS grant monies were used to prove the tooling design concept, reducing the risk of the project.
The result of the project was a significantly improved product in
Verisona – first law firm to take business rescue accolade
The latest industry recognition for a team of Portsmouth legal experts at the UK’s Insolvency & Rescue Awards not only breaks new ground for the firm, Verisona Law, but also for the profession.
function and design. The move to using expanded polypropylene for the base of the case and folding board have resulted in a 32% weight saving. Sixteen parts and four manufacturing processes have been cut to just two processes and three parts, resulting in a 40% reduction in cost. This cost saving has been passed onto the customers by reducing the products RRP to £29.99, despite being made in Britain.
Not only did Patrona reduce its pre- production duration by a third, it also reduced the lead time from 12 weeks in China to 10 days in the UK. Additionally, the minimum order quantity (MOQ) was reduced from
Remarkable Group acquires Pendragon Public Relations
Remarkable Group, the communications and public consultation specialist based in Winchester, has completed the acquisition of Pendragon Public Relations, one of the UK’s leading infrastructure and energy stakeholder consultation businesses, creating Remarkable Pendragon.
The acquisition and integration of the Pendragon team enhances Remarkable’s position at the forefront of stakeholder consultation for the property, waste management, utility, and infrastructure and energy sectors.
The deal brings together the experienced Pendragon team, led
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by Alex Doyle, with Remarkable’s 70 staff, national presence, and innovative approach to online consultation.
The acquisition of Pendragon is the latest step in an expansion drive at Remarkable and follows the opening of three regional offices this year in Manchester, Bristol and Cardiff, to complement existing offices in London and the Winchester HQ.
Commenting on the acquisition, chief executive of Remarkable Group, Stephen Pomeroy, said: “With the latest CBI/URS survey showing high levels of support for an independent commission to oversee UK long-term infrastructure planning amid
Stephen Pomeroy
concerns over the effect of political intervention, it is right that we ensure we are providing unmatched sector expertise.“
2,000 units in China to 500 units in the UK. This quick lead time and low MOQ has enabled the business to hold less stock and improve cashflow.
Andrew Brundan, managing director and founder, said: “We have demonstrated that aside from the quality and speed of production, there can also be a significant cost advantage to manufacturing on your doorstep – if you can apply the right design approach.
“The support available from MAS is real encouragement for companies to take the first step in re-shoring and will help them gain more confidence to compete globally.“
Verisona Law’s insolvency and business turnaround team has walked away with the ’Business Rescue of the Year’ award in recognition of its work for Portsmouth Football Club. The hard work, commitment and support given by the team to the historic rescue of the Club has also won praise throughout the world of professional services.
Verisona Law is now the first law firm to ever have been given the title of ’Business Rescue of the Year’ at the only awards that recognise best practice and professional excellence in the corporate recovery and insolvency sector.
A panel of over 20 judges – including the chief executive officers of the Insolvency Practitioners Association and Institute for Turnaround; presidents of the Turnaround Management Association (TMA) and Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3) and the managing editor of Credit Today and Insolvency News – agreed that Verisona Law had made an exceptional contribution to the industry in the past year and that the Portsmouth firm had shown itself more than worthy of the national title.
“Just to be shortlisted by such an expert panel was a tremendous compliment to our work,“ said Nick Oliver who heads up the team at Verisona Law, including directors David Oliver, Mike Dyer and Chris Allnutt. They joined over 700 industry leaders at a ceremony held at The Lancaster Hotel in London.
“At first, I don’t think we quite believed it, but once the announcement had sunk in, we were all elated.“
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – DECEMBER 14/JANUARY 15
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