MAN, a ten-strong group of engineering companies, will be heading to the event for the first time in its history in a bid to help 1st and 2nd tier suppliers reduce their costs, develop new products and improve their quality and delivery performance.

The coalition specialises in providing a single interface for customers looking to access industry-leading expertise in mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering and already boasts a proven track record of delivering £10m contracts across the globe.

"This is our first time exhibiting at Farnborough and reinforces our commitment to increasing our market share within the aerospace industry," explain Ian Wiles, who is leading on the event for MAN.

"Firms are crying out for supply chain rationalisation and an increasing commitment to cost downs and just-in-time delivery. These demands are something we know only too well and ones we meet head on thanks to our extensive resources, 200 years' combined experience and a highly skilled workforce of more than 600 people across ten state-of-the-art factories."

He continued: "The Show will give us a great opportunity to showcase our unique approach to some of the sector's major players, whilst also learning about new opportunities in the supply chain."

Established in 2005, the five original MAN members - Alucast, Barkley Plastics, Brandauer, FW Cables and Westley Engineering - have been joined by Advanced Chemical Etching, Excalibur Engineering, PP Electrical Systems, Note UK and Wrekin Circuits.

Together they form an international trading group that boasts a £60m turnover and manufacturing skills base featuring high volume pressings, sheet metal fabrication, aluminium castings, electronic assemblies and chemical etchings.
World class capabilities also exist in press tools, stampings, plastic injection moulding, cable harnesses, PCB manufacture and the supply of 1 offs and/or small batches of precision machining in a variety of different materials.

Ian, who is Sales Director at Advanced Chemical Etching, picked up the story: "In essence, we can provide an answer to virtually any manufacturing requirement an aerospace company may have.

"MAN works in a way that the client receives a dedicated lead most suited to the enquiry and subsequently involves as many of the members as needed to complete the job. This provides one point of contact, eliminates time managing different relationships and is proven to cut costs dramatically.

"And we have some tremendous unique selling points to offer customers. At ACE, we are the only supplier who can etch titanium in Europe, PP Electrical leads the way in cable preparation and termination and Wrekin can offer world class printed circuit boards with lead times from just 24 hours."

"Brandauer is also working with CERN, the European organisation for Nuclear Research, and has supplied precision parts for use in the large hadron collider particle accelerator.

n For further information, please contact 0845 034 6676 or visit www.man-group.co.uk

 

This is as a direct result of significant reductions in their in-year budget, which comes as a consequence of budget cuts imposed on the RDA, Advantage West Midlands.
The depth of these budget cuts and expected cuts next year will significantly reduce the businesslink offering and will have a knock on effect onto suppliers and businesses in the West Midlands.

All contracted grant funded support will be honoured. Business Link are still trying to confirm if a small stringently controlled grant fund can be reserved for growth businesses for the remainder of 2010-11.
We will continue to offer the following in-depth advisory services during 2010-2011 without the grant funding element:

Innovation Advisory Service
Improve Your Resource Efficiency Service
Business Transformation
Technology at Work (ITAS)
These programmes will close by 31 March 2011.
Additionally, the following grants are no longer available with immediate effect:

Diversification
A2F - Finance for Business
Business Recovery Service
Business Link anticipates further budget cuts next year that are likely to result in changes to their service after March 2011, however this will not be absolutely clear until after the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) is completed.

Business Link West Midlands is also restructuring its operation in line with the reduction in budgets, which will result in a significant number of job losses.
Business Link will continue to operate our core business model, providing Information, Diagnostic and Brokerage services, supported by a full telephone service. Specialist advisory programmes will also continue until March 2011.

 

This was a clear message sent to the public sector following the recent Made in the Midlands summit held at the Fairlawns Hotel, Aldridge.

 

Business Report met up with key public sector figures this week with founder members to discuss the future delivery of the private sector initiative ‘Made in the Midlands.' Greg Dickinson, manufacturing policy manager at Advantage West Midlands, Rachel Eade - formally of Accelerate - representing MAS-WM and Alan Wood, Inward investment officer at Wolverhampton City Council attended to represent regional public sector interests.  

 

They met with Managing Director signatories to the Made in the Midlands campaign; Melvin Sinar, managing director, Petford Tools Ltd, Roy Taylor, managing director, Malthouse Engineering Ltd, David Lindsay, Laser Processes Ltd and Andrew Jones, Mason Metals Ltd to offer their input on the Made in the Midlands campaign in providing a platform that will continue to serve manufacturing interests amidst the well documented political change that is shaping the West Midlands. 

 

The key theme that has emerged from the summit has reiterated a message outlined last week by West Bromwich MP, Adrian Bailey - the new chairman of the parliamentary committee looking after business that the enterprise partnerships simply won't work without the private sector playing a leading role. Roy Taylor of Malthouse Engineering has a more positive outlook on the future of Midlands manufacturing; "We've been able to dispel a common misconception that Midlands' manufacturers aren't able to be competitive against manufacturers in heavily subsidised and low labor cost economies in Eastern Europe and Asia by winning business from them."  

Alan Jones of Wolverhampton City Council reiterated this following extensive work with the city's aerospace cluster and commented "There is a general ignorance as people outside don't seem to know what we're capable of." 
Melvin Sinar, of Petford Tools in Dudley, a household name in injection moulding suggested that "future collaboration should begin with the local councils actively looking into what they can source within their borough and make these opportunities available to businesses - and that manufacturers will then follow suit by making their tenders available through Made in the Midlands, opening the doors to the sharing of business that the ‘Made in the Midlands Campaign' will enable. 

Following George Osbourne's announcement that the Regional Development Agencies are to be scrapped, Greg Dickinson of AWM feared that the focus of the new Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP's) will be geared towards regeneration issues following recession; "We need to be lobbying the LEP's on the manufacturing agenda and seek to address the issues that these businesses have addressed in terms of access to finance." 

 

Jason Pitt, Made in the Midlands, said "There is a clear misunderstanding from the public sector as to what is required. There are businesses out there that need to be able to access funding and I'm not talking a few thousand pounds. One firm I came across needed £1m investment and have a full order book with the opportunity of taking on additional work, they have had their growth stopped despite the fact the business is profitable and can create a further 30 jobs." He added, "The business is not even looking for grants, they want a commercial loan but are finding it difficult to access. The government can certainly do more but there is an onus back into what I call peppercorn grants, but we need to be thinking bigger if growth in the real economy is to be restored.

 

It's no good having good intentions and then dishing out lip service, we need real results. There is a visible gap in what's available or not as the case maybe for medium sized firms. Mike Whitby, Birmingham City Council was reportedly considering creating a publicly run bank of Birmingham at one point, although many commentators ridiculed it at the time, maybe its not such a bad idea."
Made in the Midlands through Business Report newspaper will seek to address all issues put forward by its members to develop the campaign further, to lobby in the interests of the private sector and continue to champion manufacturing in the region with whatever form the new government chooses to support industry.

 

 

Steve Nixon has been undertaking his training contract with Enoch Evans LLP since 2008 and successfully qualified in July this year. Along with his legal qualification Enoch Evans LLP is proud to announce that Steve has been offered a contract with the firm and will assist in expanding and boosting the profile of the Dispute Resolution department.

Steve has spent the last two years developing his knowledge and experience in all areas of law but especially Dispute Resolution work for the commercial client including employment, debt recovery, corporate insolvency and intellectual property rights. Steve also has experience in work for the private client including general consumer problems.

On his recent appointment Steve Nixon commented "I am delighted to be staying at Enoch Evans LLP. My time at the Firm so far has been both enjoyable and rewarding and I'm sure that will continue. The Dispute Resolution Department has an excellent reputation for providing its clients with a high quality of care. I hope to continue the standards that have been set by my colleagues and assist in the development of the department and the Firm as a whole".

As well as the expansion of the department, the Matrimonial and Family team which forms part of the Dispute Resolution department have recently been chosen as the winner of the global award "Family Law Regional Firm of the Year in England" by Corporate Intl Magazine. The global awards mark excellence for the world's leading advisers in an array of countries and continents globally. The 2010 awards commemorate those who have shown excellence not only in expertise but in service during a difficult global economic downturn. The winning nomination for Enoch Evans LLP was reviewed and chosen by an independent awards panel which included a Senior Partner of a global law firm, President of a global legal network and a Chief Executive of a multi-international business.

Commenting on the department's recent success Emma Birch, Matrimonial and Family Partner said "It is a fantastic achievement for the team to win such a prestigious award, the success of the department is due to the client-focused hard work of every member of the team. I am proud that our hard work and expertise has been recognised by both the legal and corporate industries and it demonstrates that you don't need to be based in the city centre to be able to offer clients an excellent service.

n If you would like to speak to a member of the Dispute Resolution department, please contact Enoch Evans LLP on (01922) 720333, email ee@enoch-evans.co.uk or visit www.enoch-evans.co.uk.

 

From OEM's through to precision subcontractors, these companies are competing and winning in tough, increasingly global markets. With a growing proportion of them relying on Doosan machine tool technologies, supplied and serviced by market-leading, Leamington-based Mills CNC Ltd, to help drive their businesses forward.

 

Mills CNC is the exclusive distributor of Doosan machine tools in the UK and Ireland. The Company, last year, achieved impressive sales results (245 machines sold) and increased its market share of the UK CNC machine tool market by 4% to 20% in total. (With certain specific machine tool technologies such as large CNC lathes and horizontal boring machines - Mills' market share is a staggering 40% - 45%).

 

Mills CNC: the secret of
its success

Mills' continuing success can be explained by a number of interrelated factors.

Explains Managing
Director, Nick Frampton:

'Doosan machine tools are recognised for their high-performance, quality and reliability. They are also extremely cost-competitive and represent excellent value.

 

'What's more the depth and breadth of the Doosan range is second to none and covers everything from lathes and turning centres through to 3- and 5-axis machining centres, mill-turn machines and large horizontal borers.

'This means that there's a Doosan machine tool for virtually every machining application, and manufacturers making precision parts for the oil/gas, power generation, medical, aerospace and defence, and motorsport and automotive sectors (to name but a few), are hard-pushed to find better or more effective machine tool solutions than those provided by the Doosan:Mills partnership.

 

'With confidence and optimism returning to the UK manufacturing sector - we believe we have everything in place to capitalise on the upturn.'

 

Standing room only

The popularity of Doosan machine tools was evident at the recent MACH 2010 Show at the NEC (7 - 11 June).

Exhibiting 13 machines from the Company's biggest-ever Stand at MACH, that included three new Puma lathes and the recently-launched VC 630 5/AX
(5-axis machining centre) - the number of visitors making a bee-line to Mills' Stand over the week long show was encouraging and business was brisk.

Continues Nick Frampton:

'We put a great deal of effort into making MACH a success...and this hard work has paid off. We secured 11 machine tool orders (sales order value £1.15M) at the Show, and are now actively following up the 100 plus serious sales leads that were generated during the week.'

 

That's what you call
service

If the high demand for Doosan machine tools helps explain the continuing growth and success of Mills CNC - it doesn't explain it fully.

Equally important is the comprehensive range of after-sales services that Mills provides to its customers. These services, widely recognised throughout the machine tool sector as being the best in the business, cover everything from technical and applications help and support, machine tool maintenance and servicing, spare and replacement parts, ancillary equipment supply and installation, and CNC programmer, operator and maintenance training courses.

Says Nick Frampton:

'It's no exaggeration to say that Mills is passionate about service - and the quality of our after-sales services and the skill and dedication of our staff further differentiate us from the competition.

 

'We live and die by the quality and accessibility of these services - and the fact that we experience such high levels of repeat business from existing customers year-on-year, demonstrates their value and attractiveness.'

 

The future

With new and exciting promotions planned for the remainder of 2010 - that include the launch of the new Puma lathe series range, as well as the creation of a brand new website - Mills CNC is ideally placed to take advantage of the economic upturn, and to achieve its stretch growth targets for 2010 and beyond.

Knowing Mills - you wouldn't bet against them.

 

For further information on Mills CNC contact Mills on 01926 736736 or visit www.millscnc.co.uk 

 

It is a favourable position for the specialist in deep drawn aluminium cases, but not one that its experienced Plant Manager takes for granted.

Mike Dimmack is manufacturing through and through. A varied career that has touched virtually every engineering discipline imagineable has given him enough lessons to know that things change quickly and you are only as good as your last month.

This pragmatic approach is combined with an insatiable appetite for improvement, whether that is in terms of process efficiency, more turnover, or better still, greater margins.
"The end result is one of our best years, with turnover increasing substantially month on month. Not a bad achievement considering the challenging trading environment."

Employing 22 experienced and committed Black Country people at its factory in Dartmouth Road, Zero has evolved its operations to provide more value added services to its client base, which features the medical sector, security and defence, telecommunications firms and a number of 1st tier aerospace companies.
Its expertise in developing bespoke aluminium cases has also seen it secure new contracts with the MoD, supplying products that are used in arenas across the world.

"That has been a major growth area for us in the last twelve months," explained Mike, who away from work is an avid supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
"Our ability to provide rapid turnaround and technically advanced products has proven a big draw and some of our cases are already being used when transporting crucial communications equipment and medical supplies to armed forces throughout the world.

"Whilst we can produce in large volumes, bespoke is certainly the way forward. Getting involved at the design stage can make a major a difference to the functionality of the product, as well as contributing to driving costs down."
Flexibility is key to the Zero business philosophy. It currently manufactures match box size cases and is equally at home producing cases 15 meters long.

It also has over 2,300 sizes available to meet customer requirements when needed from its standard catalogue.
Typically, they are used to protect anything that is fragile and this includes sensitive computer hardware, electrical equipment and state-of-the-art parts for aircraft. The cases have also carried human organs for transplant patients and the latest F1 components, with 30% exported to France, Germany and Sweden.
"We're working towards a five year plan that will hopefully see sales rise 50% by 2015 and further increases thereafter," pointed out Maurice Morsia, who has been recently recruited as European Sales Director for the business.
"Moving up the food chain was the first step and this has been followed with investment in the skills of our staff, the latest Computer Aided Design software and the use of simulation packages such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA) - highlighting our use of cutting edge technology to engineer solutions for our customers."
Already excellent manufacturing performance has got even better and cost downs have been achieved across the board. Most impressive of all though is a reduction in lead times from 6-8 to 3-4 weeks.
Transatlantic relationship

The name Zero hasn't always been a part of the manufacturing community in the Black Country. Originally Samuel Groves + Co, the company was taken over in 1983 by US -based Zero Manufacturing Inc, a global specialist in protective enclosures.

Whilst both parties share technical expertise, manufacturing and marketing strategies, Mike is keen to reaffirm that Zero Cases (UK) stands on its own two feet.
"The group has been extremely supportive, but we are autonomous and have the freedom to drive our own future and support the corporative objectives and aspirations.
"This means we can act quickly, respond to market changes and develop new products that complement the group portfolio.

"Whilst Anglo -American relationships are a bit frosty after the recent oil spill in the Gulf, I'm pleased to say our relationship with the States has never been stronger," he joked.
Zero, which is being supported by Business link and the Manufacturing Advisory Service-West Midlands, has pledged its support to Business Report's Made in the Midlands campaign.

Zero have also worked extensively with the Lean Acadmey at City of Wolverhampton College. Lean Academy Team Leader Richard Herbert commented: "The initiative at Zero Cases is just one of the many currently being undertaken by the Lean Academy. The Lean Academy offered Zero support for them to under go change programmes by supporting both Continuous Improvement activities and the relevant up skilling of their staff to ensure that the activities are both successful and sustainable.

It is a commitment that Mike takes extremely serious. A Black Country man born and bred, he firmly believes that the region still leads the world when it comes to innovation and manufacturing excellence.
"If we don't believe we're the best in the world who will?" pointed out Mike.

"There have been a lot of casualties, we can't deny that. But what we now have in the West Midlands is some of the leanest and most advanced manufacturers that can and are contributing to very competitive supply chain networks."
He concluded: "The campaign is a great way to showcase what we and other companies are doing...leading the rest of the world in innovation and expert manufacturing."

Adrian Symonds at Protex Fasteners added on their involvement in the continued success; "One particular design of theirs required them to obtain a strong recessed handle that could be fitted to their case. Protex understood Zero cases requirement, and after some development, were able to offer a glass filled nylon handle grip. This was compatible with the paint process used by Zero Cases and this solution by Protex allowed Zero Cases to paint the handle in their desired finish."

Zero Cases UK Ltd offer thanks for the continued efforts and service of their other suppliers in this project; Ramfoam Ltd and Gold & Wassall Hinges Ltd

 

It has never been possible to "entrench", i.e. make the Articles of Association such that they cannot be changed by a Special Resolution.

All this changed on 1st October 2009, when Section 22 of the Companies Act ("CA") 2006 came into force.
This provides that a Company's Articles may contain provision to the effect that specified provisions of the Articles may be amended or repealed only if conditions are met or procedures are complied with that are more restrictive than those applicable in the case of a Special Resolution.

Provisions for entrenchment may only be made in the Company's Articles of Association on formation or by an amendment of the Company's Articles agreed to by all of the members of the Company.

Provisions for entrenchment do not prevent amendment of the Company's Articles of Association, either by agreement of all of the members or the Company, or by Order of a Court.

The net effect of these provisions means that provisions can be inserted into Articles of Association which prevent changes being made unless it has the consent of between 75% and 99% of the members, i.e. the percentage over and above that of a Special Resolution which would enable changes to the Articles of Association prior to introduction of Section 22 CA 2006 but less than 100% giving the members the right to change the Articles of Association in any event.
Pursuant to Section 23 CA 2006, where a Company's Articles of Association on formation contain provisions for entrenchment or are amended so as to include such a provision, the Company must give notice of that fact to the Registrar or Companies.

Pursuant to Section 24 CA 2006, where a Company's Articles of Association are subject to a provision for entrenchment, if the Company amends its Articles of Association and is required to send to the Registrar of Companies a document making or evidencing the amendment, the Company must deliver with that document a "Statement of Compliance".

The "Statement of Compliance" required is a statement certifying that the amendment has been made in accordance with the Company's Articles of Association and, where relevant, any applicable Order of Court or other authority.

If you would like to know more about entrenchment of Articles of Association, or indeed you would like to consider changing your own, call us today on 01564 777250.

Website: www.slandco.com

 

 

In the past the Charity used boarding kennels and occasionally foster homes to house the dogs in their care. However, a recent bequest from a very generous benefactor has enabled them to purchase an existing Boarding Kennel and finally have all of their dogs under one roof.

The purchase has now been completed of the former Lemhill Kennels at Far Forest, and the Charity eagerly heads into a new phase when they hope to be able to rescue even more dogs and enable them to find loving, forever homes. First on the agenda was a change of name, Green Gap was the earlier name for the piece of land and so Green Gap Kennels is the new home for this energetic and much needed charity.

Mark Hodgson, Partner with Talbots Solicitors, guided the Charity through the legal formalities and Chris Jones, from Select Business Finance in Wolverhampton, arranged the funding.
Mark explains "We were delighted to be able to help Forest Dog Rescue make strides to becoming self-sufficient. Before purchasing their own kennels they had to rely upon placing all the rescue dogs with commercial kennels so this is a major step forward for them."
Chris Jones said "When Mark Hodgson introduced me to Forest Dog Rescue, they had already been turned down for a loan by their own bankers and had little faith in the banking sector's ability to provide the required finance.

However, I could see that the proposal made sound commercial sense and just needed presenting in the right way. I am so pleased that I was able to help them secure the funding to buy Green Gap Kennels."

Geraldine Cove-Print, Chairman of Forest Dog Rescue was ecstatic about the new venture ahead, she said " We live in a society where our work is needed more now than ever before, Green Gap Kennels offers a new hope for expansion and a secure future for the Charity. All of our volunteers are so delighted, I'm sure if they had tails they would wag them as hard as our lovely dogs do!" More information about the Charity can be found on the website at www.forestdogrescue.org.uk.

 

The merger officially completed on 30th July 2010 and the combined firms now trade as Ansons Solicitors and operate from Ansons Solicitors' Lichfield office in Breadmarket Street.

 

Ansons Solicitors was set-up in 2004 and employs 50 people, including 6 partners across its two offices in Cannock and Lichfield. It is recognised for its expertise by Legal 500, the independent legal directory of the leading 500 UK law firms. Ansons Solicitors provides a full range of private client services including family, personal injury, employment, wills, probate and residential property. Ansons Solicitors also advise businesses on employment, litigation, planning and environmental matters and has particularly strong corporate, commercial property and agricultural departments.

Hinckley Birch & Brown was established in 1991, but the firm's history can be traced back to the early 1700's. The firm operated from offices in St John Street, Lichfield and specialises in charity law and commercial property as well as private client services for its well established client base.

Simon James, senior partner at Ansons Solicitors commented: "We continually strive for improvement and our mission has always been to be the leading full service law firm within the region. This merger is another step towards our objectives and marks the start of a very exciting period for us.

 

"There are a number of great synergies between the two firms and the intention is to expand upon our legal expertise for the benefit of our clients and the wider business and local community".

 

Chris Kitto, the senior partner at Hinckley Birch & Brown will continue to practice law as a consultant at Ansons Solicitors as well as continuing in his role as a deputy district judge. Chris commented: "This merger expands our expertise and strengthens our ability to offer high quality legal services to private individuals, businesses and charities within the region".