Business News

Webb Fontaine, a global leader in AI-powered trade technology and Customs facilitation solutions, is proud to announce that Guinea Customs has chosen its state-of-the-art Smart Tracking solutions to enhance trade facilitation processes. Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine, said: "As a trusted partner to Guinea Customs, we are excited to provide our advanced tracking solutions to drive efficiency and security in trade facilitation.

Greater Birmingham businesses are showing signs of recovery thanks to a significant upturn in domestic sales and orders, a new economic report reveals. According to the latest Quarterly Business Report from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, firms across the region “remain upbeat and optimistic about the opportunities ahead” despite the pressures of inflation, interest rate raises and labour market shortages.

Wolverhampton-born founder of Poundland, Steve Smith, who was the keynote at the Nachural Summer Business Awards which took place at the Wolverhampton Racecourse, said in times of uncertainty, focus was key to success. He also added that his success was down to the quality of the workforce who lived in Wolverhampton and had worked for him.

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. 

The UK’s largest listed provider of rental homes, Grainger plc, has revealed its second build-to- rent development in Birmingham is to be named “The Silver Yard” after the city’s connection to the historic manufacturing of silverware.

Following the success of Grainger’s first development in the city, Gilders Yard, which launched in the Jewellery Quarter in August 2022 and was fully leased in just over 3 months, The Silver Yard, is named to celebrate J. W. Evans Silver Factory – a nearby landmark which was established in 1881 and still stands today with much of the original equipment and workshop still intact today.

Building upon the remarkable achievements of the renowned UK Black Business Show x HSBC UK 25 Black entrepreneurs to watch list in 2021 and 2022, we are thrilled to present you with a fresh compilation of remarkable Black entrepreneurs who are changing the landscape in the UK.

From an early age, young Black individuals become acutely aware of the multitude of challenges they must confront, their race has a significant influence on how they are perceived by others. This list acts as a wellspring of inspiration to provide relatable role models.

Research from CMC Markets has revealed Reading as the UK city opening the most successful new businesses in the last five years, with just 0.13% going into liquidation. 

The study used business intelligence software, Endole, to analyse how many businesses were incorporated in the UK’s largest 25 cities from December 2017 to December 2022 compared to the number that went into administration, liquidation, or were dissolved. Alongside Reading, Stoke-on-Trent, Plymouth, and Cardiff are also home to some of the UK’s most thriving businesses and entrepreneurs. 

Luiss University hosted an international conference on "Assessing the ESG movement: Ethical reflections on ESG and its impact on Business," organized by Rome's University, the Wharton University of Pennsylvania, and ETHOS Observatory of Public Ethics. The conference aimed to improve understanding of the ESG movement, contribute to its moral assessment, and explore approaches to realizing its underlying values.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has introduced new World Business Class seats. These broader seats have a sliding door ensuring greater comfort and privacy. Thanks to various innovations, the seats and their fittings are 10-15% lighter than other business class seats in this market segment, thereby contributing to KLM’s sustainability objectives.

KLM’s new World Business Class (WBC) seats were designed on the basis of extensive customer research. The new seats offer passengers more space and comfort:

Meta's new app 'Threads' challenges Twitter's dominance, offering a fresh take on text-focused social media. Will it have long term success or will early success unravel.

In a surprise move that has sent ripples through the social media landscape, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has launched Threads, a new social media platform. This Instagram companion app, which is being hailed as Twitter’s new chief rival, was launched a day earlier than expected, according to reports from Forbes.

A pioneering construction business well-known for creating better places for people to live and regenerating communities is approaching a major milestone on properties across a town in North-West England. Evolution takes pride in delivering quality private housing, social housing, and sheltered housing to create sustainable communities across Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

Qatar Airways returned to Birmingham Airport for the first time in three years, reconnecting the UK’s second city to the airline’s unrivalled international network including more than 160 destinations. 

Dignitaries including Gary Kershaw, UK & Ireland Country Manager - Qatar Airways, Andy Street - West Midlands Mayor, and Nick Barton - Birmingham Airport Chief Executive, welcomed flight QR33 from Doha on its arrival at Birmingham. Onboard, passengers were treated to a special menu including Beef Wellington, traditional British Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Tikka Masala and Eton mess. Qatar Airways cabin crew also provided mementos to passengers. 

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) re-appointment Ms Noredah Othman, CEO, of Sabah Tourism Board, Malaysia, and Dr. Gerald Perez, Vice President, Guam Visitors Bureau, USA to the PATA Executive Board for a two-year term beginning June 27, 2023. On the announcement, PATA Chair Peter Semone said: “I would like to first thank Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Maldives for his time and contribution to the Executive Board over the past two years.

The partnership with World Travel Market to be held from November 6-8, 2023, will turn the spotlight on Morocco.

The Premier Partnership announcement comes as Morocco experiences growth in its tourism activity, aiming to double the number of incoming tourists to 26 million by 2030, elevating Morocco as a leading leisure destination to the world’s travel trade. It is already known that Morocco’s presence at World Travel Market London will focus on the “Morocco, Kingdom of Light” international campaign of the Moroccan National Tourism Office.

A group of manufacturers committed to promoting UK industry is urging the Government to throw its weight behind a growing reshoring trend that has the potential to deliver £millions of new opportunities. Bosses at the Manufacturing Assembly Network (MAN), a collective of seven sub-contract manufacturers and an engineering design agency, believe the country has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring back work from low-cost countries as the demand for taking risk out of the supply chain intensifies.

Sustainability might well be front of mind when it comes to us all doing the right thing by the planet, we all call home. But who is talking about sustainability when it comes to employment? 

A few people, maybe. But not enough, says Mark Telford, Managing Director of Forth. Mark tends to see things coming over the horizon before many of us. That’s part of what’s stood him in good stead over 22 years of running a pioneering, award-winning, solutions business.