Business News


Manufacturing firm wins business consultancy prize


By Jessica Brookes


Evac+Chair International has won £15,000 worth of consultancy from Prescient Business Consulting. The manufacturing firm won the


business consultancy prize, via a competition hosted by Prescient Business Consulting and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC). Prescient say that the quality of


the submissions was extremely high and the judging panel of David Thomson and Kate Marsh from Prescient, along with Mike Kelly of Finance4Business, had a tough job to make the final selection. David said: “Evac+Chair


International is a great company with a highly regarded reputation in their market. Their application showed that they have the ambition to take their business even further, despite the headwinds of Covid and Brexit. We can’t wait to start working with them to help them make their ambitions reality.”


Extension for boys’ school


Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Birmingham City Council to build a new £5.6m extension to Kings Heath Boys School in Kings Heath, which will support 240 additional single-sex school places. The local authority


commissioned the scheme in response to the city’s population boom. Birmingham City Council is


aiming to increase capacity at Kings Heath School by moving to a seven form entry model next September. All new spaces will be sized to accommodate 30 students. The project was tendered


through the Construction West Midlands (CWM) Framework: a high quality, cost effective delivery vehicle for public sector construction, which Morgan Sindall Construction has had a place on since 2011. The framework is managed by consultancy firm Acivico, on behalf of Birmingham City Council.


14 CHAMBERLINK November 2020 Evac+Chair International, who


were awarded the Excellence in Manufacturing award at the Chamber’s 2020 annual awards, hosted earlier this year, design and manufacture all of their products from their Solihull headquarters.


‘Evac+Chair are not only passionate about their products, but also about people’


Kate said: “All three judges unanimously selected Evac+Chair as there was a clear similarity and good fit with both Prescient’s expertise and values. Evac+Chair are not only passionate about their products, but also about people – whether that be their customers, employees or local communities.” The consultancy package,


focused on Prescient’s model of Strategy-People-Processes, will be tailored to Evac+Chair International’s particular business goals.


Tough job (left to right): David Thomson, Kate Marsh and Mike Kelly It will comprise three elements,


research and analysis of the business and its market by the Prescient team, an on-site workshop with members of the company management team and other key personnel, and presentation and discussion of the findings and recommendations with management. Prescient and GBCC have also announced that Chemique Adhesives Ltd will receive a runners up prize of a one-day consulting package. Mike noted: “Chemique’s


submission not only demonstrated what a strong business they have, but also that they have the objective of growing, and penetrating new markets.” One entry that impressed the judges was that of Birmingham


Streams Ltd, a newly-formed performance broadcast and content creation business. The judges said: “While Birmingham Streams doesn’t fall within the competition criteria, we were very impressed by their enthusiasm, energy and courage in setting up their business during the pandemic. We have given them a ‘Highly Commended’ award, providing them with a business coaching package.” Paul Faulkner, chief executive of


the GBCC, said: “This competition is a great example of Chamber members working together to combat the harsh economic conditions we are currently seeing. This is exactly the sort of collaboration and support that the Chamber is here for, and I look forward to seeing the results.”


Award-winning firm is recruiting


A prize-winning West Midlands team of electrical engineers have revealed a recruitment drive during a visit from award sponsors the Richardson family. Excitation & Engineering Services were crowned


Greater Business of the Year by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) at its online awards ceremony earlier this year. During a visit from award sponsors the Richardson


family, Excitation revealed it is recruiting two more graduates to its team and has issued an open invitation to experienced electrical engineers.


‘Excitation & Engineering Services is one of the hidden gems of British business’


Martyn Richardson, accompanied by Joe Robinson


from RCL, advisers to the Richardson family, met the Excitation team at their Tamworth headquarters to congratulate the firm on its award win. “Excitation & Engineering Services is one of the


hidden gems of British business,” said Martyn Richardson. “Their skills and technical know-how are in huge demand both at home and abroad. This is a hugely impressive business and a worthy winner of the Chamber’s Business of the Year prize.” The company works on power generation and


control systems for many of the world’s major energy suppliers, as well as defence work. As well as the main Chamber award, Excitation & Engineering Services – based on the Amber Business Village in Tamworth - also won the International


Hidden gem: Front row, Martyn Richardson (left), presents the award to Excitation Engineering Services MD Douglas Cope. Back row (from left) Kachie Akpotohwo, Farah Robrigado, Luca Tantimonaco, and Vanessa Hockin of Excitation Engineering Services with Joe Robinson of RCL


Business category, sponsored by the Andalucia Tourism Board because of its export performance. As the company expands its design and


manufacturing work, and its overseas projects, it has recruited a former graduate intern, Kachi Akpotohwo from Nigeria, and is taking on a second graduate in the coming months, as well as taking on another intern. Vanessa Hockin, the firm’s office manager, added: “At


the same time we are constantly looking for experienced electrical engineers.”


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