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Shrewsbury 0174 336 0545
JIB241.09.16
It’s not quite the Italian Job, but Shrop-
shire glazing company Heritage Glass is
launching a raid on Chester, Worcester,
Wolverhampton, Hereford and Mid Wales
using two new company Minis.
The Shrewsbury-based firm has taken
delivery of two new branded Mini Club-
man vehicles to boost its expansion plans,
which will see it aim to pick up business
in neighbouring counties. The company
increased its fleet as part of a tie-up with
Rybrook Mini in Shrewsbury.
Agents upbeat on
county’s prospects
COMMERCIAL property agents in
Shropshire say the market remains
optimistic after the Bank of Eng-
land warned of a “sharp adjust-
ment” in the sector.
Minutes from the Bank’s Financial Pol-
icy Committee (FPC) meeting on Septem-
ber 20 show that the number of FTSE 100
shares bought by foreign investors over
the summer was less than half of what was
observed last year, according to estimates
by S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The FPC said this could have knock on effects
for the broader economy.
It said: “Given the elevated level of uncer-
tainty around the economic outlook, the risk
remained of a fall in overseas investors’ appe-
tite to invest in the United Kingdom and conse-
quently tighter funding conditions for the UK
real economy.”
But agents in Shropshire say they are not see-
ing a significant knock-on in the local market,
which is less prone to large peaks and troughs
than those in London.
Toby Shaw, from Shropshire-based agents
Towler Shaw Roberts, said: “I can genuinely say
that from our point of view inquiry levels have
been as strong as I can remember for some time.
“Interestingly we are now getting competition
for properties which prior to Brexit we weren’t
getting. From a confidence point of view things
are as strong as they have been for some time.
“Where we would have been having eight to
10 viewings for properties to get to the point of
sale, we are doing them in three or four.”
Charles Howell, of Cooper Green Pooks,
agreed that the market was not fluctuating as
wildly as in other parts of the country, adding
that manufacturing premises were in demand
while retail was less so.
He said: “In terms of direct foreign invest-
ments, if you had major investments like retail
parks or shopping centres in Shropshire, then
those investments might be affected more by the
bigger picture, but from a purely property in-
vestment point of view most of the transactions
will have a local connection
“Shropshire doesn’t really go through ex-
tremes, so overall things are still cautiously op-
timistic.”
The Bank’s minutes noted that commercial
real estate transactions slowed by 60 per cent
in July and August compared to the same period
last year, dropping to their lowest level since
2009. That is as commercial real estate values
dropped by 2.8 per cent in July, and by a further
0.7 per cent in August.
But Mr Shaw said the most pressing issue in
Shropshire was a shortage of properties coming
to market.
Heritage director Tony Randall, said:
“To stay ahead of a continually moving
retail platform we are opening outlets
across the neighbouring regions and have
created bespoke sign-written vehicles so
that customers can feel completely confi-
dent who they are dealing with when our
staff initially visit them.
“Following extensive expansion and
rebranding at our offices we believe that
this new quality corporate image in both
staff and vehicle fleet can only help to en-
hance customer experience.”
Ian Lockett, head of business for Ry-
brook Mini Shrewsbury, added: “The
Clubman is the perfect vehicle for the
sort of surveying and sales work that
Heritage Glass carries out throughout
the region and we are delighted to be sup-
porting them as their fleet increases in
line with the company expansion.”
Nick Heyhoe of Heritage Glass with Jason Richards of Rybrook Mini with the glazing specialist’s new Mini vehicles
A double-fronted shop with development po-
tential in Oswestry town centre is available to
sale or let through commercial agents Halls.
The site, at 15 Cross Street, is a three-storey
property with a basement, which has a total
ground floor sales area of around 1,144 sq ft with
a store and staffroom.
The property currently provides ancillary ac-
commodation on the upper floor levels, which
have a separate access.
Morris sheds light on first-ever Dubai deal
College leads the way on MOTs Town centre shop
hits the market
Report by Thom Kennedy
thom.kennedy@shropshirestar.co.uk
Expanding Telford manufacturer Advanced Chemical
Etching has tapped into a leadership programme to add
to its senior management team.
The company, which produces metal components for
the automotive, aerospace, F1, medical and high value
engineering sectors, has appointed Jayne Powell as its
human resource director after she im-
pressed on WMG’s Innovation Business
Leadership (IBL) Course.
The former HR manager will be re-
sponsible for overseeing the company’s
increasing workforce, which has grown
by 25 per cent over the last two years
after the company secured a string of
new orders to take its turnover past the
£4m mark.
Her new role will see her leading
recruitment, training and employee
wellbeing to help the 46-strong workforce cope with ex-
pansion plans that will see ACE aim for £5m by 2017.
“We have invested heavily in new etching equipment
and a state-of-the-art laboratory, but have also chan-
nelled significant funding into improving our people.
Jayne’s development and subsequent appointment to
our senior management team is testimony to this – we
really want to hold on and grow our best people,” said
managing director Ian Whateley.
He added: “The Innovation Business Leadership
Course is the continuation of a long-term relationship
with WMG at the University of Warwick and gave her
an excellent insight into strategic skills and know-how
on how to lead.”
ACE boosts
senior team
Football chief to
speak to bossesShrewsbury Town chief executive Brian Caldwell will
be the guest speaker at a networking event for the town’s
business chamber this month.
The event, at Shrewsbury Town FC’s
Arthur Rowley Suite at 6pm on October
19, will also include a tour of the sta-
dium.
The evening will provide a great in-
formal networking opportunity for busi-
ness people from companies, large and
small, in Shrewsbury and the surround-
ing area.
Tickets are limited: you will also need
to book in advance so that the chamber
can advise the club’s caterers. Entrance
is free to members of the chamber, with a £5 fee for non-
members and guests, to cover administration and cater-
ing.
Town moved to the New Meadow in 2007, a UEFA cat-
egory four stadium with a capacity of 9,875. Mr Caldwell
joined Shrewsbury in February this year from Scottish
side St Mirren.
Law updates at
town seminarBusiness owners and managers are being invited to
a free employment law update being held in Telford on
October 6.
The seminar is being organised by Lanyon Bowdler
Solicitors, and delegates will have the opportunity to
arrange a one-to-one meeting with an employment law
specialist following the event.
John Merry, head of employment at Lanyon Bowdler,
said that the seminar would be beneficial to business
owners and managers.
“Important changes are being made to the way certain
termination payments, and also benefits funded by sal-
ary sacrifice, are taxed, and we will be helping employers
plan for these,” he said.
“We will also share our thoughts about the extent of
the impact that Brexit might have on employment law,
and outline new rules relating to gender pay gap report-
ing.
“We have already run this event in Oswestry and
Shrewsbury. It has been popular, and the feedback from
delegates has been excellent.”
The event will take place in Lanyon Bowdler’s con-
ference suite at its offices at Hazledine House, Telford
Town Centre from 12.30pm to 2.15pm on October 6, with
10-minute one-to-one consultations following the semi-
nar. Lunch will be provided.
For more information, email info@lblaw.co.uk or call
01743 280281.
Phil Winnington, Harris Kaladi, Chris Morris and Murali Vasuderan
Brian Caldwell
Jayne Powell
Mini adventure for glazing firm
Shrewsbury-headquartered
manufacturer Morris Site Ma-
chinery has confirmed the de-
tails of its first major order from
Dubai, after agreeing to supply
50 lighting towers for a project
in the emirate.
It is supplying Swaidan Trad-
ing the LED lighting towers this
month, for use on construction
projects in the lead up to the
global Expo in 2020.
The fuel-efficient model has
been specifically adapted to
improve heat reflection and en-
sure operation in the high tem-
peratures in the Middle Eastern
state.
The deal was sealed when
Morris Site Machinery chief ex-
ecutive Chris Morris and inter-
national business director Phil
Winnington flew out to Dubai
to meet up with their new cus-
tomer.
“We are delighted to have
begun what we hope will be-
come a long standing, mutually
beneficial relationship with Al
Naboodah Group Enterprises
and Swaidan Trading,” Mr Win-
nington said.
“This is an important order
for us as it represents our first
sales into Dubai, a territory
where we are now looking to
build our business. Hot on the
heels of this sales success a fur-
ther order for lighting towers
has now been placed for this
territory.”
“The contract demonstrates
faith in our great British prod-
ucts and service and the focus
we put on quality – both the
products we take to market but
also the strong partnerships we
build with customers. It’s about
understanding each other’s
businesses enabling each to
serve the other profitably.”
The business is currently ex-
porting to more than 20 coun-
tries, with the largest share of
the business in Australia where
it has established its TL-90
range of lighting towers over the
past 12 years.
Morris, which is part of the
Morris group of companies
based on the Welsh Bridge but
which mainly operates from
Four Ashes, announced earlier
this year that it had secured
£3.5 million of new overseas
business, including n Dubai.
Report by Thom Kennedy
thom.kennedy@shropshirestar.co.uk
New government-imposed
requirements for annual MOT
testers has led to a significant
increase in demand for train-
ing and assessment courses at
Shrewsbury College.
Where previously MOT test-
ers were required to undertake
a refresher course every five
years, the Driver and Vehicle
Standards Agency (DVSA) is
now insisting that testers must
undertake MOT training and
pass an assessment between
April 1 and March 31 each year
to retain their tester status.
“This is a significant in-
crease in training require-
ments for all MOT testers and
we want to ensure we offer
testers the highest quality
training in the best facilities
as soon as possible,” said Lyn
Surgeon, chief executive and
principal of Shrewsbury Col-
leges Group.
“As all MOT testers must
take the training and assess-
ment by March 31 2017, we
are investing over £40,000 im-
mediately in preparation for
courses to start at Shrewsbury
College in November of this
year.”
Local engineering firm RMT
Garage Equipment Services
from Oswestry has won the
contract to supply the testing
equipment to Shrewsbury Col-
lege.
BUSINESS NEWS
Vehicles set to help Monkmoor’s
Heirtage Glass expand its horizons
21
ShropshireStarTuesday,October4,2016