news opinion


Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy


So said Ernest Benn, and possibly Groucho Marx. A phrase from the 1920s that might resonate today.


As we closed for press, the Government of Theresa May had just called a snap election for June 8 – to ‘secure a strong and stable leadership this country needs’. By which, the MP for Maidenhead means, ‘a big enough majority to ensure Parliament doesn’t scupper my Brexit deal’.


So, we have uncertainty on uncertainty; tidal wave following earthquake.


And yet, the calculation must have been that the PM should go to the country and get the country behind her so that she can stand tall in front of the EU negotiating team with the ‘mother of all mandates’ to steady her.


But of course it could all go horribly wrong. The Brexit referendum and the recent American election have shown us that nothing is as it was. The old certainties have been replaced by the wobbly jelly of voter volatility.


As I write this, Jeremy Corbyn is still leading the Labour Party. Of course he will step down if Labour is crushed, as predicted, on June 8. But might he be forced out before we even get to the hustings?


And what of the Lib Dems? Will they campaign that a vote for them means a vote to stay in Europe. Will that persuade some Remainers, or have we tired so much of all this politicking that we’ll all simply stay at home ...


David Murray Publisher


4 businessmag.co.uk


Owen Mumford wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise


Owen Mumford has been recognised as a winner of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (Innovation) – the UK’s highest accolade for business success. The innovation award celebrates organisations showing outstanding and/or sustained commercial success over a period of years.


Owen Mumford received the award for ‘Innovation’, in recognition of the new innovations in medical device design and manufacturing the company has developed to improve quality of life, encourage adherence to treatment and reduce healthcare costs. Making a world of difference, to a world of people.


With a 65-year history of medical device firsts, Oxfordshire-based Owen Mumford offers innovations in diagnostic sampling to drug delivery from a broad base of proven self-injection and blood sampling platform devices and intellectual property.


Owen Mumford’s extensive research, design and manufacturing capabilities produce leading-class medical devices that are used by a worldwide audience – with over 85% of their products exported to more than 60 countries. They are committed to bringing life-saving and life-changing devices to new markets around the globe.


The award acknowledged Owen Mumford’s developments in injection pen needles specifically Unifine Pentips Plus. The global increase in diabetes has seen a concurrent increase in demand for pen devices with needles for injection. While single use of the pen needle is the recommendation, it is difficult to effectively educate patients about best practice and the ease of pen needle removal and disposal is a major barrier to compliance. The innovative product all- in-one pen needle is an integrated device with two chambers, one containing a new pen needle, the other providing a more convenient removal chamber for interim disposal.


The development enables users to fit a new needle easily and dispose of the old one responsibly. Following development of the innovation, Owen Mumford conducted a user evaluation study and identified that adherence in using a new pen needle for each injection increased by 61% when compared to their needle change behaviour with their previous standard pen needle. Commercially, sales of the device have increased by 52% over the past two years.


Xcel Sales acquires Precise Target Recruitment


Hampshire-based lead generation agency Xcel Sales has acquired Precise Target Recruitment (PTR) for an undisclosed sum. Former PTR managing director Craig Williams and director Gavin Davis, join Xcel as shareholders and bring with them a combined experience of 31 years in sales.


Williams joins as director of client services with a remit to look after new and existing clients, while also rolling out new product lines. Davis becomes Basingstoke-based Xcel’s new operations director and is looking forward to driving the company forward.


Williams commented: “I’m keen to get started with the scaling-up of our telemarketing operation and integrating a number of new services into our offering. We’re all very excited about our rapid growth plans.”


PTR is a leading recruitment agency for sales-related jobs. It was founded on


the premise that many agencies offer very little in the way of ongoing support after a placement is made. Williams explained: “Customer service seems to be an afterthought for many recruiters, so we spotted an opportunity to create a company that focused on every aspect of customer experience.”


CEO Nicola Hartland added: “Craig and Gavin’s desire to disrupt the recruitment industry made PTR a good fit for what we do here. I founded Xcel with the intention of changing the public’s perception of sales professionals. Recruitment and sales are often seen as dishonest industries, but some of us are working hard to challenge that.”


The acquisition is part of Xcel’s 1,000-day plan, which sets out a series of objectives including doubling the team size in 12 months and increasing the value of the business to £25 million by 2020. Hartland is buoyed by the progress so far.


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – MAY 2017


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