West Midlands Companies News

[Biosonic]

Good to see they are reviewing the legislation but 2 animal-related sayings come to mind.

Shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Toothless dogs. The MP's can't make Kraft do anything they don't want to.

[Biosonic]

TAGS need removing from this thread and the culprit BANNED please

[sefton66]

A COIN commemorating the 21st anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy has been made in Birmingham – and won praise from victims’ families.

The special tribute bears the names of all 96 victims on one side on a clock face showing 3.06 – the time the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest was abandoned at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium on April 15, 1989.

The coin has been made by Jewellery Quarter-based Elizabeth and Windsor – which has produced other collectable coins for heads of state and football legends.

As well as coins for fans, 96 limited edition versions in sterling silver will be made for footballers and businessman.

Specialist workshops in the Jewellery Quarter each played a part in the process. W Downings, which has been in Spencer Street, Hockley, since 1905, carried out the stamping process.

The project is backed by campaigners from the Hillsborough Family Support Group, which will benefit from sales.

Chairman Margaret Aspinall, who lost her son James at Hillsborough, said: “It means a great deal to us. We can’t thank these people enough.

“It’s 21 years later and people are still doing all they can to help the families.

“When I felt the coin I felt very emotional, I couldn’t believe they had produced something so amazing.”

Sue Roberts, whose 24-year-old brother Graham died, said: “It is a wonderful tribute.

“It amazes me that they have been able to get all the names on to a coin so small.

“Coins last and will be around for many years.”

The coin is available at www.liverpool96.com at a cost of £16.99 or a framed set for £27.

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/b...7319-26193841/

Not huge news but good for the jewellery quarter

[NeilM]

I surprised no-one has posted about the "Cadburys Cocoa Houses" that are planned:

Cadbury-branded cafes to hit UK high streets

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Communities
Friday 9th April 2010 - 11:49am


Cadbury-branded cafes are to open on Britain's high streets under plans confirmed today by the Dairy Milk and Wispa maker.

The group has secured backing from new owner Kraft for a chain of Cadbury outlets offering afternoon tea and an on-site chocolatier service making large versions of popular bars such as Curly Wurlys and Flakes.

As many as 60 outlets could be opened over the next three to five years under the proposals.

US parent Kraft, which bought Cadbury in a controversial £11.5 billion takeover in February, has thrown its weight behind the idea, endorsing a 20-year licence deal with a group of retail entrepreneurs to lead the venture.

Cadbury had been in discussions with the team - including David Morris, the former director of food and restaurants at Harrods - and signed the licence agreement in January, before Kraft completed its acquisition.

The US firm has now given the plans the green light, but is not providing financial backing.

Cadbury said it was an "exciting concept that builds on the success of the Cadbury brand", although a spokesman stressed it was "very early days" for the venture.

It is thought the cafes could be called Cadbury Cocoa Houses - the same name that was given to a previous Cadbury-branded cafe, which was operated in Bath primarily as a marketing tool until it shut in 2007.

The management team running the new operation are said to have already started negotiations with landlords with a view to possibly launching in London before the end of the year.

Mr Morris is expected to become chief executive of the venture, with retail entrepreneur Marilyn Newman as chairman.

The launch comes at a robust time for the coffee shop sector, which has shown remarkable resilience throughout the recession.

While many high street rivals have fallen by the wayside, the consumer spending woes spared many coffee shop retailers and they have even been expanding throughout the recession.

Recent figures showed that the six biggest players increased shop numbers by 47% in the year to September 2009.

http://www.24dash.com/news/Communiti...K-high-streets

...

The chocolate maker is planning its second foray into cafés. Let's hope it fares better than last time.

Cadbury might be American-owned now, but the chocolate-maker is still focused on its home territory: it's about to open a chain of high street cafés in the UK. The outlets, expected to be called ‘Cadbury Cocoa Houses’, will serve affordable (i.e. cheap) afternoon teas and provide an on-site chocolatier service - allowing punters to snap up giant Curly Wurlys, super-sized Flakes and so on. The deal was signed in January, just before Kraft’s hostile £11.5bn takeover, so there was some concern that the new owner might pull the plug. However, Kraft has decided to go ahead - albeit without contributing any money to the launch. But maybe that's a good thing – if Kraft gets too involved, our Cadbury cuppa might come with a cheese slice rather than a choccie biscuit…

Cadbury apparently plans to open a chain of up to 60 outlets throughout the UK in the next three to five years, with the first one opening as early as the end of 2010. And Cadbury fans aren’t the only ones to get excited at the prospect of chocolate on tap: a group of entrepreneurs have been granted a 20-year licence to set up and run the chain, with retail heavyweight David Morris expected to become chief executive of the venture (though giant Flakes are a world away from the delectable delights sold at posh department store Harrods, where he used to be the director of food and restaurants).

In theory, the move makes sense. High street coffee chains have held up remarkably well in the downturn; in fact, people are buying more posh coffee than ever (so much so that the six big coffee houses were able to bolster shop numbers by 47% to 2,095 in the UK over the year to September 2009, according to the Local Data Company). So it’s no surprise that Cadbury wants a piece of the action - and since it's already so famous for its chocolate, this seems like a reasonable brand extension. It's also a good time to buy/ rent cheap high street properties.

Then again, we can't help wondering to what extent the Kraft saga has taken some of the shine off the Cadbury brand as far as UK punters are concerned (particularly if the chocolate quality goes down). Will customers be keen to visit Cocoa Houses when they know they're filling the pockets of a giant US conglomerate? What's more, Cadbury isn’t actually entirely new to the coffee shop industry. It used to run a café in Bath, which closed after six years in 2007. Let’s hope the new shops don’t suffer a similar fate.


http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/cha...a-house-chain/

[Erebus555]

Ooh, that sounds interesting! I just hope these 'cocoa houses' actually look smart and not like some tacky flood of blue and yellow.

[sefton66]

Kraft has decided to go ahead - albeit without contributing any money to the launch. But maybe that's a good thing – if Kraft gets too involved, our Cadbury cuppa might come with a cheese slice rather than a choccie biscuit…

Lets hope this is Krafts approach to just let Cadburys get on with there own buisness as a seperate company and keep it within the UK and they will just take bigger profits and have better market share, If that makes sense

[sefton66]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10105743.stm

Kraft UK headquarters to close

Kraft Foods, the new owner of chocolate maker Cadbury, has announced plans to close its UK headquarters.

The US company said it would move staff from its Cheltenham office to Cadbury's current headquarters in Uxbridge, and Cadbury offices in Bournville.

Kraft said it planned to make Bournville, the historical home of Cadbury, a centre for research and development.

But the food giant did not say if job losses would result from the changes.

Kraft's Cheltenham office will close in 2011.

Cadbury's Science Centre in Reading is to become a global science and technology centre.

Business rationale
Kraft bought Cadbury in a controversial takeover at the beginning of the year.

It was feared that losing the iconic Cadbury to Kraft would lead to job cuts and factory closures.

So far 150 jobs have already been lost at the Cadbury HQ in Uxbridge and the closure of one factory been announced.

Continue reading the main story
While the business case is clear, we need to support our people

Nick Bunker
President Kraft Foods
Kraft's proposals will, it believes, help strengthen collaboration between staff and boost performance.

Nick Bunker, President of Kraft Foods UK, said: "We would be very sad to leave Cheltenham and we would provide significant resources to support sites during the move. However, the business rationale is compelling."

'Chocolate excellence'
Kraft has come under fire for the way it has so far handled the takeover of Cadbury.

It reneged on a commitment to keep its plant at Sommerville in Keynsham open which angered workers and politicians alike.

Putting Bournville at the heart of Kraft's chocolate research and development work will go some way to reassure workers and the British people that Kraft is committed to the long term future of Cadbury in the UK.

The Bournville so called 'Centre of Excellence' will work on new product development for brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Toblerone, Green and Black's and Suchard.

Kraft's UK boss Nick Bunker called the move "a vote of confidence" in the UK.

This has deffinatly came as a surprise while most of us expected the cadbury head quarters to close its actually krafts headquarters closing and merging into the cadburys one. Also its interesting that they are letting bournville develop new products for their toblerone.

[Biosonic]

Who'd have thought it?

[markmcd1976]

What a great takeover for this country... another 100 or so jobs to go!

Well done everybody!

[Steldemetriou]

Originally Posted by markmcd1976

What a great takeover for this country... another 100 or so jobs to go!

Well done everybody!

This is what happens in any takeover.

[Biosonic]

It's one of the main reasons for a takeover - "efficiency savings"

[markmcd1976]

As is the fact that most merged companies never get anywhere near the combined value of the companies before the merger.

The only people to have benefited from this merger will be the banks...

[Spread]

EGI's positive take on the Cadbury's/Kraft

Kraft set to relocate HQ to Bournville and Uxbridge
Paul Norman 11/05/2010 10:45

US food giant Kraft is to close its UK head office following its £11.bn takeover of chocolate maker Cadbury, consolidating staff into Cadbury’s Uxbridge site and its historic home in Bourneville in south Birmingham.

In a move that will be a major boost for the West Midlands economy, Kraft said it will move its headquarters from Cheltenham, which employs around 400 staff, in 2011, with management and employees moving over the next 18 months.

Kraft said it would integrate its office network to its Bourneville site in Birmingham, where it has manufactured chocolate since 1879, and at Uxbridge, north-west London, which was the previous Cadbury head office.

Nick Bunker, president of Kraft Foods, said: “We would be very sad to leave Cheltenham and we would provide significant resources to support employees from all affected sites during the move. However, the business rationale is compelling.

“Having our R&D, customer service and support functions working side-by-side will enable us to share more insights, act more quickly and execute more flawlessly, thereby accelerating our growth.”

The firm also announced plans to make Bourneville the heart of its global chocolate research and development, creating a “centre of excellence” to drive new product development, while the Cadbury Science Centre in Reading will become a global centre, serving the combined company worldwide.

Kraft Foods has been in Cheltenham at St George’s House since the mid-1970s.

[Erebus555]

"Bourneville"



They even spelled it properly in the headline!

[feltip]

M&B sees surge in profits
Wednesday 19th May 2010, 11:30AM BST.

Mitchells & Butlers, the West Midlands-based pub and restaurant group, today announced a surge in both profits and revenue as it reaffirmed moves to turn the business into a food-led operation.

The group, with its HQ in Birmingham, said pre-tax profits for the six months to April 10 rose more than 55 per cent to £73 million on revenue up 1.3 per cent to £1,037,000. It said like-for-like sales rose 1.9 per cent in the nine weeks since the first half – an upturn on a difficult and tough second quarter.

Trading was hit by wintry weather and the rise in VAT.

Chief executive Adam Fowle said results underpinned confidence in investing in mid-market eateries including Harvester, Toby Carvery, Crown Carveries and Sizzling Pub Co.

“The business continues to trade well and we are pleased with the progress made in the first half with improved sales and margins leading to an increase in operating profits and profit before tax,” he said

In the second quarter food and drink sales were up 4.3 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively against overall declines in pub industry food sales of 5.2 per cent and in the on-trade drinks market of 4.9 per cent.

Food sales were driven by successful campaigns such as Toby Carvery’s ‘Great British Roast Debate’. The group owns and operates about 2,000 pubs and restaurants including All Bar One, O’Neills and Nicholson’s.

It plans to boost customer spending through menu changes but says market conditions are difficult.

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/b...ge-in-profits/

[hammerb24]

RBS are announcing 2000 job losses today in their insurance wing, as it's main base is Brum hope it doesn't hit too hard, rumour has it 2 of the 3 sites are to close....

[sefton66]

I was looking for this thread a few days ago, the search option on this website is a waste of time. Cadburys workers have been given a 3.7% pay rise from Kraft and this will be back dated to March.

[hammerb24]

RBS Outlines Plan To Cut 2,000 Insurance Jobs Share Share Comments (24)
5:12pm UK, Thursday August 26, 2010

Hazel Tyldesley, Sky News Online

Royal Bank of Scotland has revealed details of a mass closure of insurance sites that will see at least 2,000 people lose their jobs.

RBS is making the cost-cutting move ahead of an ordered sale of its insurance arm



The part-nationalised bank has informed staff of the plans, which will see 14 of its insurance centres close completely, with job losses at more than a dozen more.

RBS claims it is "too early" to say how many workers will be forced to accept redundancy.

The most high-profile site to close is the Direct Line call centre at Atlantic Quay in Glasgow, which employs 640 people.

Around 400 of them will be made redundant with the rest shifting to other roles within the company.

RBS is also closing another site in Glasgow, two in Birmingham, two in Croydon and two in Bristol.

Sites in Farnham, Ipswich, Manchester, Peterborough, Romford and Cardiff, will also be shut down over a three-year timescale.




RBS said in May that 2,000 jobs would go at its insurance arm, which includes the Direct Line, Green Flag, Churchill and Privilege businesses and employs 16,000 people.

It was forced by the European Commission to sell its insurance division as part of the deal to allow it to accept the Government bail-out nearly two years ago.

The sale needs to happen by 2013, and the site closures form part of cost reduction plans ahead of that move.

Rob MacGregor, national officer at trade union Unite, said: "RBS staff are continuing to pay the price for the bank's failure with their jobs.

"They are trying to do the best job they can during a hugely stressful period of uncertainty.

"Unite is calling on RBS to come clean with staff and clarify the impact of the restructuring and end the uncertainty.

"Unite will hold RBS to account over any compulsory job losses that result."

RBS said that the European ruling had accelerated plans for cost savings and that having to cut jobs was the most difficult part of the process.

"At this stage it is too early to say how many role reductions this will involve, but we will do all we can to support our staff, offer redeployment opportunities where possible and to keep compulsory redundancy to an absolute minimum," the bank said.

RBS is yet to put the insurance operation up for sale but is looking at a potential flotation or trade sale, expected next year or in 2012.

It has already said it aims to reduce the number of roles in the group by a massive 23,100 globally, over 17,000 of which will be lost in the UK.

[giocoliere]

a nice random news source, but good news for the city nonetheless

Birmingham has scored a great mark by attracting an important global personality to visit Birmingham for the day to meet key leaders and to be appraised of the investment opportunities the city of Birmingham has to offer to investors from Abu Dhabi .

His Excellency Sheikh Syed Ali Al Hashimi, special advisor to the President of UAE has agreed to visit Birmingham by special invitation from Mr Noor Siddiqi of Artis Legal and Mr. Naved Syed of Janan Meat and lead person in the development of Halal Food Parks in the UK and the Qurbani project and Mr Mohammad Nazir, Chairman of West Midlands Business Forum.

His Excellency Sheikh Syed Ali Al Hashimi also has special interest in the English legal system. He will commence his visit by a visit to the Birmingham Law Courts as well as meeting members of the Judiciary, the legal profession and the local business community.

A special seminar is being held in the presence of key Birmingham business leaders at the offices of the law firm Artis Legal situated at 43 Temple Row, Birmingham. This will provide an opportunity to discuss matters of mutual benefit, support of business and non commercial investment opportunities in Halal developments, Islamic Finance and other mutual partnerships within the Birmingham City and the West Midlands Region.

Mr. Noor Siddiqi stated “ this is a first of a series of visits that are planned to bring distinguished people from the Middle East to interact with our legal and business community in order to consolidate the relationship of the West Midlands and the Middle East ”

Mr Naved Syed commented, “for too long Birmingham City lost out investments from the UAE to London and other cities. Birmingham and the West Midlands has a great track record of developing new initiatives in the Halal Food industry and Qurbani project and this is sure to attract extra interest for potential investments from His Excellency Sheikh Syed Ali Al Hashimi”.

Later in the evening His Excellency Sheikh Syed Ali Al Hashimi will be attending an Iftari event (opening of the fast) at the Muslim Tribunal and Arbitration Service (MAT) Headquaters situated at Hijaz College in Nuneaton .

Mr Mohammad Nazir, Chairman of West Midlands Business Forum commented, “ At a time of one of the worst recessions this nation has seen since the 1930’s, This visit offers unique opportunity to Birmingham and the West Midlands . We have an active Muslim business community looking for Islamic Finance as well as developments in Technology Industry and great real estate investment in the Birmingham Cities “BIG PLAN”. We can try to convince His Excellency Sheikh Syed Ali Al Hashimi to look to our region for investment opportunities from a cash rich region of Abu Dhabi ”

“We have a great competitive advantage in attracting FDI from the Middle East to Birmingham for many reasons. Birmingham is home to one of the largest Muslim populations outside of London and Bradford . Many initiatives have been developed and located in Birmingham : First Islamic Bank (IBB), European Halal Development Agency (EHDA), IFAS Islamic Finance Advisory Services and Arabis Developments Ltd.”

It is hoped that this visit will commence a great step towards mutual collaboration and participation in commercial activity in months and years to come.

http://www.meattradenewsdaily.co.uk/...eptember_.aspx

[NeilM]

I don't know where to put this, as we don't have a thread about the regions economy, I thought it was better to put it here rather than create a new thread, and maybe rename the thread to West Midlands Company and Economy News.

Bhattacharyya: Manufacturing is the key to economic growth

Sep 24 2010 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post


The region’s reliance on the professional services sector rather than looking to promote manufacturing will end in disaster according to a top industrialist.

Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, who founded the Warwick Manufacturing Group, said the UK was destined to fall further behind if it did not re-focus on the industries that first elevated it onto the world stage.

He added that the obsession with the region’s oft-reported lack of skills was something of a red herring when it was up to companies to ensure there they had a sufficiently well-trained workforce.

“This region has been dominated by the professional sector but growth doesn’t come from there,” he said. “Across the world growth is being driven by manufacturing. I have just been to Singapore and it is manufacturing that is helping them grow – 22 per cent of its economy is manufacturing and not finance as many might assume. In Germany it is manufacturing that is getting them out of the recession.

“Everyone is talking about innovation and it has become a buzz word. Everybody is talking about skills and that has become a buzz word. But it is not the government’s role to deal with skills, it is up to employers to deal with skills.

“The region has been dependent on government loot for so long that the shock will take some time to get over but it happened in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher and we recovered from it. Growth, growth, growth has to be the mantra over the next few years and unless we grow then the effects of what is happening now will be extremely negative.”

Lord Bhattacharyya cited Jaguar Land Rover as an example of what could be achieved when companies invested in their product and workforce but warned that there were no guarantees that the company would remain in the region if it did not get its act together.

“The company is currently negotiating with unions over pay and conditions as part of a five-year strategy that could see the closure of one of its major Midland plants although it is confident that across the business it could see the number of employees grow as sales have boomed over the past 12 months.

He said: “What happens with the current JLR negotiations over pay will be seen as a test case for the Midlands. The unions have to understand that JLR is a global company and the work has to be done to reduce the cost base if the company is going to remain in the Midlands.

“The region also has to see growth if we are going to ensure that companies like JLR or other global companies are going to remain here.”

He said that the abolition of regional development agency Advantage West Midlands would not assist with the process of supporting manufacturing and said it was important there was “something in place that looked at growth in the region” but added that maybe it was time to look beyond traditional partnerships after the different elements of the West Midlands conurbation could not form a single local enterprise partnership.

He said: “One of the big problems now is we are not united and there are many who do not realise that the region itself only exists as a hangover from World War Two because of the airfields and there is actually no real logic in it.

“Maybe we have to look at a mix and match solution and look beyond what is perceived as the West Midlands region but it is a pity that the Black Country, Birmingham and Coventry apparently can’t work together.”


Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/birmin...#ixzz10SJUK52G