Business News

The Greater Birmingham Professional Services Academy (GBPSA) celebrated its tenth anniversary on Wednesday 7^th June 2023 with a special event at Deloitte. Nearly £4million, in equivalent billable hours, has been invested in the Academy by partners through in kind support from partners. The GBPSA, part of Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet), was created in 2013 as a direct response to recommendations in ‘Choose Work, Choose Life, Choose Birmingham’, the report of the Future Commission, published by Birmingham Future and Warwick Business School, on growth and sustainability of Birmingham’s business, professional and financial services (BPFS) sector.

A North Staffordshire manufacturer of household and vehicle cleaning products is pressing the button on an ambitious investment drive.

Future Developments (Manufacturing), which has blended and made chemicals that go into more than 1500 different products, is spending over £500,000 on creating an additional 15,000 sq ft production facility at its Davenport Street home in Burslem and the installation of a faster filling and packing line.

The Association of British Professional Conference Organizers (ABPCO) confirmed the appointment of six industry leaders and experts to its Executive Board during virtual AGM.

Attended by over 50 members, the AGM served as a platform to outline ABPCO‘s ambitious plans for the upcoming year. These will build on a strong past year, including growth across all areas of the association’s offering.

The Chancellor met the UK's principal mortgage lenders and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to agree support for people struggling with mortgage repayments.

The latest market indicators (FCA; UK Finance) show that mortgage arrears and defaults remain below pre-pandemic levels, which were themselves extremely low. The FCA reported 0.86% of total residential mortgage balances in arrears in the first quarter of 2023 which is significantly lower than the 3.32% rate in 2009.

A site manager is building a path to success within the construction industry, since joining Barratt Homes through its Armed Forces Transition Programme. The programme offers ex-servicepeople a valuable opportunity to transition into the construction industry and advance their careers.

Through the scheme, participants receive comprehensive experience, training, and unwavering support to embark on a rewarding path in site management. Andy Williams (33), who works on Barratt Homes’ High Elms Park development in Hullbridge, supports the on-site team with maintaining a five-star rated customer service by co-ordinating the trades, ordering materials, and delivering regular health and safety checks.

Boost Capital Partners is excited to announce the launch of its first fund to support founders who are building exceptional user experiences to solve real-life problems. Based in London and having successfully completed its first close of $30M, the fund is led by a team with a collective experience of over 25 years in the digital consumer and gaming industries.

NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) unveiled a new and refreshed brand identity of GIFT Nifty as a part of full-scale transition of SGX Nifty to Gift Nifty from July 3, 2023. The new identity of Gift Nifty signifies the unique opportunity and new direction for the international investors to participate in India's growth story to access Nifty products through NSE IX at GIFT City.

Described as an unrivalled experience in connecting with professionals and businesses across a number of industries, the Birmingham Black Business Show returns for yet another unparalleled level of networking, with some of the biggest, famed business people in their fields on hand, to share and inspire as you hear and learn stories of success and experiences from their own mouths.

Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SPCE) (“the Company” or “Virgin Galactic”) have announced the start of commercial spaceline operations. The first commercial spaceflight, ‘Galactic 01’, is planned to fly between June 27 – June 30, 2023. The second commercial spaceflight, ‘Galactic 02,’ will follow in early August 2023, with monthly spaceflights expected thereafter. 

Virgin Galactic’s team and vehicles are ready to fly the Company’s first customers to space, having successfully completed the Unity 25 spaceflight and subsequent routine analysis and vehicle inspections.

Proposals to deliver much-needed family housing have taken a step forward today after a variation to planning permission was granted for new homes at the Perry Barr Residential Scheme (PBRS).

As a result of the decision taken back in 2020 to progress directly to the legacy use of the first phase of the Perry Barr Residential Scheme, the project team were able to reflect upon the most suitable way forward for the site plots where work had not yet commenced. Under the plans approved today by the council’s Planning Committee, the site’s three plots that were always earmarked for family housing will now be delivered in a way which will provide a more diverse range of homes for people.

AutoFlight, the global electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) pioneer, is thrilled to unveil the interior design of its world-record holding Prosperity I eVTOL. Designed by legendary automotive industry designer Frank Stephenson, known for his iconic works with brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, McLaren, and MINI, Prosperity I represents a fusion of style, science, and sustainable urban mobility. The full-scale aircraft type will be showcased at the highly anticipated Le Bourget Paris Air Show (19-25 June 2023).

ALDI's Bathgate Distribution Facility has successfully resolved a seagull infestation on its rooftop by implementing the AVIX Autonomic Laser Bird Deterrent.

The cutting-edge laser bird deterrent system, designed and manufactured by Bird Control Group, has provided a highly effective and innovative solution to ALDI's persistent challenge. The facility's rooftop, housing 4,000 solar panels, had been plagued by seagulls nesting and fouling, resulting in various issues. Contractors refused to carry out essential work on the panels, and the dropping of items by the gulls caused significant damage.

Halo Solutions, the award-winning British tech company behind the world’s most intelligent crowd safety, incident and threat management  platform Halo (v5), is to make its tech software available free-of-charge to tens of thousands of small businesses, pubs, live music venues and entertainment spaces that are to be affected by the government’s new counterterrorism (protection of premises) legislation, which will be committed to law this year.  

COP28 President-Delegate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, met with heads of delegations and key negotiating groups including those from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at the Bonn UN Climate Change Conference, being held in the run up to COP28, emphasizing the need to engage and listen to all voices in the climate change discussion ─ especially those of the Global South. The conference, taking place in Bonn, 5-15 June, is hosting discussions on more than 50 agenda items.

Comac Medical (Comac or the Company) announced today that funds advised by EdgeCap Partners (EdgeCap) acquired a majority equity interest in the Company. Comac's founder and CEO, Dr. Milen Vrabevski, as well as other shareholders, retain a significant minority stake and will continue in their current roles as executive managers, thereby providing continuity to all its clients and partners. 

Business owners from Ethnic Minority backgrounds are still having to “smash through barriers” to access the networks and capital to help them succeed, a leading entrepreneur has warned. Speaking ahead of her keynote speech at next week’s Birmingham Black Business Show (BBBS) Daniella Genas, says shifting your mindset can help overcome any challenge.

Ms Genas, a business coach and the founder of Be the Boss, said: “The sad fact is that there are still far too many negative stereotypes about black owned businesses from inside and outside of the community.