• Bentley celebrates manufacturing milestone of 200,000th luxury car

    Bentley Motors has celebrated the 200,000th luxury car built in the company’s illustrious 100-year-plus history. The Bentayga Hybrid, destined for a Chinese customer, met the oldest surviving Bentley, EXP 2, and a number of long serving colleagues, as it rolled off the production line at the home of Bentley in Crewe, in Staffordshire. This crowns an extraordinary 20-year period in which the success driven by modern day models such as the Continental GT and Bentayga has truly changed the face of Bentley Motors.   

    The manufacturing milestone is even more remarkable when considered that the 200,000th car is the latest in 155,582 vehicles built at Crewe since 2003 – the breakthrough year the Continental GT was originally launched as the first model of the modern Bentley era. Today, Bentley is building 85 cars per day, the same output in one month two decades ago.

    In comparison to Bentley’s modern era, in the year of Bentley’s first existence, 1919, through to 2002, the company built 44,418 luxury cars – 38,933 of them in Crewe. Among that total were many iconic models of their time, including the Bentley Blower, the R-Type Continental, Mulsanne, Arnage and Azure. Incredibly, records show that 84 per cent of all cars built for the UK market are still on the road today.

    A major investment programme at the Crewe factory since 2003 has gone hand-in-hand with the success of the Bentley Continental GT, the definitive luxury Grand Tourer. The 80,000th individual, made-to-order example was built in January this year. Bentley’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Adrian Hallmark, comments: “This production of the 200,000th car is just the latest landmark on the extraordinary journey that Bentley has been travelling since its foundation in 1919. In 2003 the introduction of the Continental GT represented a transformative moment for the brand, and this Bentley alone, has represented 80,000 sales of our total 200,000, and created both a new segment, and a contemporary image foundation for the Bentley business.

    “The pace of progress has accelerated significantly since 2003 and we are now entering the next period of transformation as we pursue our Beyond100 strategy, with the aim of positioning Bentley as the global leader in sustainable luxury mobility.” To witness the landmark moment, the Bentayga Hybrid and EXP 2, were joined by Bentley’s longest serving colleagues, including Steve Ward, who joined in 1977, and followed in his father’s footsteps, his own Bentley career beginning 42 years earlier.           

    In his role as Whole Vehicle Analysis Engineer, Steve has had an active involvement with every Bentley model since 1980 and has tested them throughout the world, witnessing first-hand the transformation in modern-day Bentley cars. The Continental GT is the ultimate in high-speed luxury and remains the benchmark in its sector. This week (March 23) also saw a new Continental GT revealed – the most capable, performance-focused Bentley yet, the Continental GT Speed offers no compromise to comfort or luxury.

    The success of the Continental GT has been mirrored by the Bentayga, offering a true Bentley driving experience and unparalleled luxury. Launched in 2015, when it established the luxury SUV sector, the fastest SUV in the world has reached its 25,000 production landmark. It is expected that the Bentayga could surpass total sales of the Continental GT within a decade and become the biggest selling Bentley model in history.

    Since 2005, the company has also built 40,000 examples of the Flying Spur, the most successful luxury sports saloon in the world. Looking to the future, the ambitious plans Bentley Motors has for car production were outlined in November 2020, with its ground-breaking Beyond100 strategy. The company aims to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030, with the Crewe factory climate positive thereafter.

    Bentley will move to full electrification – PHEV or BEV only – by 2026, then switch the entire model range to battery electric vehicles by 2030. The industry-leading Beyond100 Strategy will transform every aspect of the business as Bentley accelerates into its second century of luxury car production.

  • Law firm welcomes employment legal director

    Leading full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau has welcomed legal director Helen Dyke to its Birmingham employment team.

  • The Commonwealth cost of buying a high-end home around the world

    The latest research by the world's leading high-net-worth mortgage broker, Enness Global, has revealed the cost of buying at the top-end of the market across each Commonwealth nation and how it differs both globally and with or without the Queen as head of state.

    Enness analysed available house price data across 54 Commonwealth nations and found that on average, a high-end home will set you back £1.587m.  

    Commonwealth nations located in Asia commanded the highest high-end price tag with an average of £2.358m, followed by Europe (£2.255m) and the Pacific nations (£2.058m).

    16 remaining realms within the Commonwealth still recognise the Queen as their head of state, although this could soon be 15 with Barbados stating its intent to become a republic next year. 

    However, the nation may want to think twice from a property point of view. The average high-end house price in nations with the Queen still at the helm is currently £2.086m; 49% higher than those without (£1.402m).

    That said, Singapore ranks top of the Commonwealth house price table despite the Queen not heading the state. The average cost of a high-end home is currently £11,657,759, by far the highest of all Commonwealth nations.

    The Queen remains head of state for the following five most prestigious Commonwealth property markets though. Australia (£3.348m) is home to the next highest house price for a prime Commonwealth property, followed by the UK (£3.208m), New Zealand (£2.896m), Canada (£2.630m) and Antigua and Barbuda (£2.318m).

    South Africa, Malta, Guyana and the Maldives also rank within the top 10 for the highest property values for a prime property.

    Group CEO of Enness Global Mortgages, Islay Robinson, commented: “Regardless of your views on the British monarchy, there’s no denying that the Commonwealth as a whole brings huge benefit to its member nations in terms of free trade and economic development, amongst other things.

    As a result, these nations remain very attractive to other Commonwealth buyers looking to invest outside of their native county, and this is reflected in the robust price of bricks and mortar across these member states.

    Of course, this isn’t to say that you can’t secure a prime Commonwealth property for a relative bargain. Still, many of the Asian, European, Pacific and Caribbean hubs will set you back at least a few million pounds for an impressive prime property.”

    Prime property prices across each Commonwealth region

    Commonwealth Region

    Average price per square metre

    Average price of a prime property*

    Asia

    £3,174

    £2,358,015

    Europe

    £3,036

    £2,255,746

    Pacific

    £2,770

    £2,058,174

    Caribbean and Americas

    £2,077

    £1,543,257

    Africa

    £1,083

    £804,398

    Sources

    Global Property Guide

    *Prime property price based on cost per square metre for a property of 743 square metres

    Average price of prime property across all Commonwealth regions and those with and without the Queen as Head of State

    Commonwealth Regions

    Average price per square metre

    All Commonwealth Regions

    £1,587,174

    Commonwealth regions with Queen as Head of State

    £2,086,072

    Commonwealth regions without Queen as Head of State

    £1,402,397

    Difference between those with and without Queen as Head of State

    49%

    Top 20 Commonwealth nations ranked by highest house price for a prime property.

    Commonwealth Nation

    Region

    Average price per square metre

    Average price of a prime property*

    Queen as head of state

    Singapore

    Asia

    £15,690

    £11,657,759

    N

    Australia

    Pacific

    £4,505

    £3,347,549

    Y

    United Kingdom

    Europe

    £4,317

    £3,207,850

    Y

    New Zealand

    Pacific

    £3,898

    £2,895,954

    Y

    Canada

    Caribbean and Americas

    £3,540

    £2,630,510

    Y

    Antigua and Barbuda

    Caribbean and Americas

    £3,119

    £2,317,647

    Y

    South Africa

    Africa

    £3,109

    £2,309,987

    N

    Malta

    Europe

    £3,039

    £2,257,910

    N

    Guyana

    Caribbean and Americas

    £2,557

    £1,899,925

    N

    Maldives

    Asia

    £2,439

    £1,812,028

    N

    Barbados

    Caribbean and Americas

    £2,418

    £1,796,463

    Y

    Solomon Islands

    Pacific

    £2,405

    £1,787,220

    Y

    Jamaica

    Caribbean and Americas

    £2,082

    £1,547,231

    Y

    Sri Lanka

    Asia

    £2,039

    £1,515,163

    N

    Fiji

    Pacific

    £1,874

    £1,392,308

    N

    Cyprus

    Europe

    £1,752

    £1,301,476

    N

    Malaysia

    Asia

    £1,669

    £1,240,178

    N

    Ghana

    Africa

    £1,556

    £1,155,855

    N

    United Republic of Tanzania

    Africa

    £1,541

    £1,145,008

    N

    Kenya

    Africa

    £1,311

    £974,370

    N

    Sourc

     

     

     

  • "Modernising saving regulations a necessity" - expert says on Autumn Statement

    Andy Mielczarek, Founder and CEO of SmartSave, a Chetwood Financial company, said: "It was good that the Chancellor’s statement included a focus on the savings market.

  • 'Winter Economy Plan Is Bleak' states Business Leader

    The business community is in a state of shock, confusion and despair following a week of government announcements that leave as many questions as answers, according to Frank McKenna, the boss of private sector lobby group Downtown in Business.

     

    The business community is in a state of shock, confusion and despair following a week of government announcements that leave as many questions as answers, according to Frank McKenna, the boss of private sector lobby group Downtown in Business.

     

    Welcoming some of the measures Rishi Sunak announced in his ‘winter economy plan’, Mr. McKenna says that the Prime Minister’s further restrictions this week leave businesses feeling like they have been hung out to dry.

     

    “If the hospitality sector is responsible for a 4.6% increase in infection rates, why is it taking 90% of the pain in terms of the new restrictions that Boris Johnson has introduced? If it is pubs and clubs where individuals are most likely to come into close contact, why adopt a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and impose the same guidelines on restaurants and hotels? And having encouraged workers back into the office three short weeks ago, with companies investing millions in creating Covid-secure office space, why is he now telling us to work from home – hence sending our city and town centres into further crisis?

     

    “Against this backdrop, it has obviously been difficult for the Chancellor to deliver a comprehensive business support package that can give us confidence that most jobs will be protected.

     

    “Although his revised ‘furlough’ scheme will help some sectors, many will not be able to take advantage of the initiative because it does little to encourage retention or recruitment.

     

    “A much simpler move would have been to cut employer National Insurance contributions for recruiting new staff or retaining them. We would have also liked the Chancellor to amend his Kickstart programme away from having to recruit at least 30 new starters, so that SMEs can take on just a few more young people.

     

    “If you are an events business, you literally have no business, so this new wage subsidy is of little use. Many hospitality venues are now on the precipice and are telling me that they will either go to weekend opening only or close their doors completely.

     

    “The failure to address the significant challenges experienced by the aviation industry – not least because of the Government’s ‘hokey-cokey’ approach to international travel – and the cultural, sports and arts sectors, is also hugely disappointing.

     

    “I appreciate the Chancellor must feel like he is operating with one hand tied behind his back, given his boss’s flip-flopping, but the reality is the ‘winter economy plan’ is bleak and last orders will be called on many businesses and millions of people’s jobs.”

     

    Mr. McKenna concluded: “It is not too late for the Government to change course. They need to review their latest guidelines, be more flexible with closing times in the hospitality sector and stop its ‘work from home’ mantra, which not only kills cities, but creates a divide between blue and white collar workers.”

     

  • 1 in 3 employers have not talked to staff about their mental health over the past year - say Acas

    New research by Acas has found that over a third (35%) of British employers have not spoken to their staff about their mental health and wellbeing over the past year during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

    Acas commissioned YouGov to ask businesses in Britain about whether they had personally talked to their staff about their mental health in the last 12 months during the pandemic. The poll found that:

  • 100 businesses sign West Midlands net zero pledge

    Over 100 businesses have now committed to taking steps to cut their emissions and help the West Midlands become net zero by 2041.

    Birmingham Botanical Gardens, The National Lottery, Severn Trent Water, and Black Country-based manufacturer AVACE are among the latest cohort to sign the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Net Zero Business Pledge, joining some of the highest profile employers across the region.

  • 100 million bottles converted to reusable bags by Jutexpo

    Jutexpo have reached the 100 million bottle mark having been recycled and converted into reusable shopping bags. 

    With nearly 1 million plastic bottles being sold every minute across the globe, and the average time for them to biodegrade being 450 years, Jutexpo have taken action, by quite literally taking the bottles from our oceans and converting them into the shopping bags we all use on a daily basis. 

  • 13 Million Customers Trapped By Mobile and Broadband Bill Hikes

    Almost 13 million mobile phone and broadband customers will next week see their bills rise in the middle of their contract by 4.5%, reveals research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.

    The mid-contract price rise will cost consumers an extra £11 million a month, but none of them will be able to walk away from these increases without paying a penalty. Ofcom rules say that customers must be given one month’s notice of any rise in the monthly fee, and allowed to exit the contract without penalty. However, telecoms companies use a loophole in this rule by writing yearly increases into contracts and communicating it to customers when they sign up.

    BT, EE, Three and Vodafone now increase their prices every year for most customers by the rate of inflation (CPI) plus 3.9%, while others, such as O2 increase prices by the rate of inflation (RPI). Since this increase is written in their contracts, more than two fifths of mobile (43%) and almost one in ten (9%) broadband customers are unable to leave penalty-free.

    Table: Broadband price rises

    Provider

    Price rise

    Takes effect

    Can you cancel penalty free?

    BT

    Up to 4.5%

    31 March

    No

    Plusnet

    Up to 4.5%

    1st June

    No

    Sky

    Capped at £6 a month

    1st April

    Yes

    TalkTalk

    Up to £36 per year

    1st April

    Yes

    Virgin Media

    Up to £54 per year

    1st March

    Yes

    Source: Uswitch.com, data correct as at 23/3/21

    Table: Mobile price rises

    Provider

    Price rise

    Takes effect

    Can you cancel penalty free?

    BT

    Up to 4.5%

    31 March

    No

    EE

    Up to 4.5%

    31 March

    No

    O2

    1.4%

    April bill

    No

    Three

    Up to 4.5%

    April bill

    No

    Vodafone

    Up to 4.5%

    April bill

    No

    Inflation is currently low, with the December figure (CPI) used to calculate most of the spring price rises standing at 0.6%. However, if inflation rose to 3% — as it did as recently as 2018 — it would mean bills increasing by a massive 6.9%, equal to £16 extra a year for someone on a £20-a-month contract.

    Uswitch.com experts question the need for mid-contract price rises, as there are none in the fixed tariffs offered by the energy and insurance markets. And while customers once had a choice to switch to providers that didn’t impose such increases, in recent years the main players in the market have all brought in similar policies. 

    Uswitch.com is calling for the industry watchdog Ofcom to act to give consumers the option of exiting their contract without penalty and avoid any price rises, establishing the principle that a fixed length contract comes with a fixed price.

    Richard Neudegg, head of regulation at Uswitch.com, comments: “Millions of mobile phone and broadband customers are being hit by mid-contract price rises of 4.5% at a time when inflation is below 1%.

    “Ofcom’s rules were supposed to allow consumers to leave their deal penalty-free if their bills go up, but providers have got around this by writing these increases into customers’ deals. Given the majority of telecoms providers are now using this tactic to prevent their customers from freely walking away from their contracts when prices go up, consumers have little choice but to accept this practice, taking a gamble on where future inflation rates will land. 

    “Now is the moment the regulator needs to step in and stamp out this loophole. What’s frustrating for customers is that in other sectors, such as energy and insurance, the price you sign up for doesn't increase until the deal ends - it’s a case of fixed price as well as fixed term. There really is no special case for this to be different in telecoms.”

  • 250,000 UK & Ireland visitors in 2025 the new target, says Bartlett

    Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has set a new target to welcome 250,000 visitors out of the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland by 2025.

  • 27 heroes of hospitality recognised across the Midlands

    The sixth Midlands Food, Drink and Hospitality Awards took place on 10 July at Birmingham Eastside Rooms, to honour and celebrate the region’s thriving hospitality scene. The grand awards ceremony, organised and run by BEvents, saw 27* impressive businesses and individuals, recognised for their ongoing outstanding achievements across the hospitality industry. 

  • 42Gears SureMDM expands support to ChromeOS, offering enhanced management capabilities

    42Gears, a leading provider of Mobile Device Management solutions, is excited to announce that SureMDM, its flagship world-class Mobile Device Management platform, now fully supports ChromeOS. With this expansion, 42Gears SureMDM now offers organisations a complete suite of management features to streamline ChromeOS device administration, ease application management, enhance security, and optimise productivity.

  • 440,000 tax credits customers still to renew claims

    HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding 440,000 tax credits customers they have one month left to renew their tax credits claims ahead of the 31 July deadline.

    More than 2.5 million annual tax credits review packs were posted to customers between late April and early June. Customers will have either received an ‘auto-renewal’ reminder or a ‘reply required’ notice. All ‘reply required’ customers must renew their claims or contact HMRC to notify them of any change in circumstances ahead of the deadline to continue receiving tax credits payments.

    Renewing online is quick and easy. Customers can log into GOV.UK to check on the progress of their renewal, be reassured it is being processed and know when they will hear back from HMRC. Customers can also use the HMRC app on their smartphone to:

    ·         renew their tax credits

    ·         check their tax credits payments schedule, and

    ·         find out how much they have earned for the year.

    Customers do not need to report any temporary falls in their working hours as a result of coronavirus. They will be treated as if they are working their normal hours for up to eight weeks after the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme closes. Any self-employed individuals, who have claimed a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant, will need to declare the grant payments. Search ‘working out your income for tax credit/self-employment’ on GOV.UK.

    Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said:

    “We know how important tax credits are to our customers, so we’ve made it quicker and easier to renew claims online. There’s no need to wait for the 31 July deadline – do it now by searching ‘tax credits’ on GOV.UK.”

    If there is a change in a customer’s circumstances that could affect their tax credits claims, they must report the changes to HMRC. These include changes to:

    ·         living arrangements

    ·         childcare

    ·         working hours, or

    ·         income (increase or decrease).

    Post Office card accounts will close on 30 November 2021. HMRC is reminding any tax credits and Child Benefit customers who use this account to receive their payments that they will need to notify HMRC of their new bank account details. HMRC is encouraging customers to act now so they do not miss any payments once their Post Office account closes. To find out how to open a bank account, visit Citizens Advice.

    HMRC is urging customers to be careful if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information. There are a lot of scams around where fraudsters are calling, texting or emailing customers claiming to be from HMRC. If in doubt, customers are advised not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but to contact HMRC straight away – search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’ for more information.

  • 455-home development in Bedworth given green light

    A 455-home high-quality development, district centre and 55 later living units will be built in Bedworth after being given the go-ahead by councillors – following support by planning experts at Marrons. The Hospital Lane scheme – led by land promoter Richborough – will provide a range of one to five-bedroomed properties, 25% of which will be affordable. All properties will have secure, on-plot cycle storage, while those with dedicated parking will also be fitted with electric vehicle charge points.

  • 5,300 jobs set to go at John Lewis and Boots

    Two of the UK's biggest High Street retailers, John Lewis and Boots, have announced 5,300 job cuts.

    Boots has said 4,000 jobs will go, while John Lewis is shutting down eight stores, putting 1,300 jobs at risk.

    The moves come amid warnings that new economic support from Chancellor Rishi Sunak will not be enough to stop millions of workers losing their jobs.

    Mr Sunak admitted that he would not be able to protect "every single job" as the UK enters a "severe recession".

    Boots is consulting on plans to cut head office and store teams and shut 48 of its more than 600 Boots Opticians practices. It has not yet said which outlets will close, but about 7% of its workforce will lose their jobs.

    John Lewis said department stores in Birmingham and Watford will not reopen as the coronavirus lockdown eases. It also plans to shut down its At Home stores in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth and travel sites at Heathrow airport and London St Pancras.

    Chancellor Sunak unveiled a series of measures on Wednesday aimed at saving jobs, including a one-off £1,000 payment to employers for every furloughed employee retained to the end of January 2021.

    He also announced measures to benefit the hospitality sector, including 
    Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the moves to support restaurants, pubs and cafes could also help retail.

    "We very much hope that when people go to their local pub or their restaurant to eat out, those are often in the centre of towns, hopefully that will encourage the footfall to those areas so we get more people going to our shops as well," Mr Dowden said, speaking after announcing the reopening of gyms, indoor pools and outdoor theatres.

  • 5-week countdown to DIB’s National Property, Planning & Regeneration Conference

    Downtown in Business have announce its final two speakers to an already eclectic mix of high-profile guests from both the public and private sector for their annual national planning, property and regeneration conference hosted on Thursday 8th February at The Lowry Hotel, Salford.

  • 55% of investors in the West Midlands are interested in emerging market investing, but unfamiliarity and fear of losing money hold them back

    Covid-19 has put a spotlight on what people consider to be their top values and life goals, as well as what is needed for a financially secure future. New research from Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust’s (TEMIT) Foreign to Familiar report shows that when considering what is most important to them, adults in West Midlands revealed that their health (25%), professional goals (14%), and income (10%) were top of the list.

    Many also think about their finances and how they can achieve long-term financial security. When asked how they’re planning to achieve this, 29% of respondents in West Midlands said that a secure job was needed and a further 26% were focused on savings. Despite the superior long-term financial returns they can offer, only 11% said a pension was required to achieve financial security and worryingly only 8% said investments.

    The stark reality for those that are focused more on savings to provide financial stability is that while there is more than £1.5tn currently sat in easy access savings accounts across the UK, these are earning a meagre interest of less than 0.39%. This means that UK savers could be missing out on more than £38bn a year in dividend income if savings were invested – the equivalent of £1,350 per household.

    Andrew Ness, Portfolio Manager at Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust: “Covid-19 has not only made us think about what life goals we aspire to, but also how we manage our finances day-to-day, and what we need to do to achieve a financially secure future. However, many consumers are unaware of the benefits and growth opportunities of investing in emerging markets.”

    When looking at investments as an option for future financial stability, only 11% of adults in West Midlands revealed they currently invest in emerging markets. This means a huge 89% are missing out on significant investment returns these markets have to offer.

    “Ultimately, emerging markets can offer exciting growth opportunities and are expected to lead the global economic recovery. Indeed the Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened key trends in emerging markets: increased institutional resilience, growth of consumption, technology, innovation, and the ability for companies to "leapfrog" developed-world competitors. Awareness of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues has also intensified in recent years,” explained Andrew.

    To put this into context, a monthly investment of £50 a month into a cash account over an 18-year period (an overall investment of £10,800) would mean an investor would have a mere £11,176. An investment into the FTSE100 over the same time period would have returned £18,987. An investment into the passively managed MSCI Emerging Markets Index would have returned £27,859, and finally an investment into the actively managed TEMIT will have returned you £33,403. That’s £22,227 more than what one would have earned in a savings account.

    TEMIT’s Foreign to Familiar report, which used quantitative data Adoreboard’s cutting-edge Emotion AI analysis, looked into the emotions and perceptions consumers have when asked about emerging markets and found that many pre-existing perceptions on emerging market countries and a general lack of knowledge of these markets have a huge influence on investment decisions.

    Looking into what is holding investors back from taking advantage of the growth potential in emerging markets, the research found that 13% of respondents in West Midlands currently invest money but don't invest in emerging markets, and would not or don't know if they would consider them in the future. Delving into the reasons why this is, 75% are concerned about their lack of knowledge of emerging markets, and 25% are worried about their risk of loss.

    However, the same nervousness cannot be said over consumers’ product purchase choices. In fact, of those who said country of origin was not important in their product choices, when looking into the reasons why 14% said that they don’t care where the product is from, and would rather focus on the quality of goods, the selection criteria, and price. Demonstrated by the number of consumers in the UK who use emerging market products everyday (93%), whether that be a TV or washing machine made by Samsung in South Korea, or a 5G chip for their mobile phone manufactured in Taiwan, for example, consumers are inadvertently investing in emerging markets through their product choices. However, when it comes to their investments, consumers are much more hesitant about actively investing their money in emerging markets, despite the favourable returns these markets can deliver.

    “Stigmas attached to emerging markets, as well as general nervousness held by investors means they are missing out on favourable investment opportunities. It’s clear that investors need more information and reassurance when it comes to emerging markets – many of which are in fact leading the way in innovation and technology – so it’s important that we highlight where the imbalance is between perception and reality to help consumers reach their financial goals,” Andrew said.

  • 62% of postal workers don’t feel safe working their regular route

    bakergoodchild, a leading high-tech mailing company, have launched a campaign to celebrate postal workers across the UK.

    The demand for postal workers is at an all-time high and with Royal Mail experiencing staff shortages across the country, our posties are more overworked than ever.

  • 6D Technologies receives 'Best Enterprise Digital Transformation of the Year' Award at IMC 2023

    6D Technologies, a leading technology solutions provider, is delighted to announce its latest accolade as the proud winner of the 'Best Enterprise Digital Transformation of the Year' award at the esteemed Indian Mobile Congress Awards 2023.

  • 75% of West Midlanders feel more productive working from home

    If the pandemic has taught us anything about work, it's that culture has changed, and we are enjoying a newfound freedom; freedom to work in environments that best suit our lives outside of work, and to have meetings how we want them. This has resulted in great rises in productivity (72%) but not without expense, as 34% admit to feeling less creative while working from home, according to new research from HP Inc., which surveyed the feelings of UK office workers on hybrid working environments.