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May 12 Business Events
Rebranding proves to be a family affair
SURGICAL Innovations has a new look after a rebranding exercise
with the help of the chief executive's son.
James Bowland, 22, assisted his father, Graham, with the corporate makeover which includes new websites, signage and stationery at the listed surgical instrument manufacturer.
The work was completed in time to welcome the visit of institutional investors, City analysts, financial PRs and brokers to the Leeds headquarters for the recent annual results.
The firm announced annual pre-tax profits were up 12 per cent, to 820,000, on sales of 4.3m for the year ending December 31.
Mr Bowland senior said: "Business is going well. More staff have been taken on – including three this week."
The appointments follow the decision to increase the company's manufacturing capability and rely less on outsourcing overseas.
Mr Bowland said: "Our new strategy is coming into play. We hope that will grow as we bring more jobs back into the UK."
As for Mr Bowland junior, he is soon off to teacher training college.
High-speed response
SIR Stephen Gomersall KCMG made his name as a high-flying diplomat in the Foreign Office.
But he didn't mince his words during an interview with the Yorkshire Post last week.
He was asked why his new employer, the Japanese firm, Hitachi, won a 7.5bn contract, ahead of UK companies, to overhaul the nation's ageing high-speed train fleet.
"You should really ask the Department for Transport," he said, and then added: "The short answer is value for money. Without wishing to denigrate other suppliers, Hitachi has a reputation for reliability and also technology in the high-speed area."
Ouch! There may be some consolation, however, if the Yorkshireman chooses chooses Leeds or Sheffield ahead of rival sites in Leicestershire and Newcastle for Hitachi's new manufacturing and assembly plant, which would bring up to 500 skilled engineering jobs to the region.
Green means go for Top Gear team
HOLD the front page – Top Gear is going green.
According to Julia Bradbury, who presented last week's Yorkshire Post Environment Awards, the motoring show shares the same director as Watchdog, the consumer programme.
She revealed that Jeremy Clarkson and co will be test-driving a helicopter powered by chip fat on a forthcoming episode.
Getting a buzz out of working with children
THEY say never work with children
or animals.
The team at Cicada Communications, based in Harrogate, did both when they brought the insect world to life in the third
bi-annual National Insect Week campaign.
So successful were they in creating a buzz around the subject that they have been shortlisted for a national CIPR (Chartered Institute of Public Relations) Excellence Award.
Yesterday, the team, led by
Cicada supremo Di Burton, set
off to London to meet the panel
of judges.
Paying the price for modern technology
THERE was commotion last Friday when the Yorkshire office of a multinational firm failed to pay its UK staff.
A bright spark in the human resources department accidentally sent a test email to the bank instead of an authoritative message to kick-start the paying process.
The embarrassed firm was forced to pay tens of thousands of pounds to use a different system in order to make sure everyone was paid the same day.
It also offered to refund any bank charges that employees incurred from the error.
Scots fail to quench the northern thirst
IT may have been billed as the Magic Weekend, but playing all seven Rugby Super League games at one stadium in Edinburgh lost a bit of sparkle in one vital area.
A pillar of the Leeds business scene tells the Diary that although the rugby league showcase – in which 14 teams played at Murrayfield over two days – was hailed as a success, the demands of spectators meant the lager ran out.
Perhaps the organisers were more accustomed to the "Pimms-sipping aficionados of the 15-a-side code," the businessman said, rather than the raging thirsts of the Yorkshire fans who travelled north of the border.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
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Wind direction: North east
