Virtual bespoke configuration: The New Mulliner Visualiser

With the introduction of the Bentley Mulliner Visualiser, it is now easier for customers to work with their retailer remotely to fulfil their personal commissioning requirements.

The Bentley Mulliner Visualiser is a digital application that allows customers to view images of bespoke hide, veneer and stitching options tailored by them – and ultimately to envision their own bespoke Bentley. Working with the retailer or Bentley’s own Mulliner designers, customers are able to configure up to three different colours to create their own interior design.

The digital application guides the customer, via their retailer, through the process and produces images of the final design in real time, providing feedback and confidence that their personalised design matches their vision and is part of the same on-screen experience.

The Mulliner Visualiser also allows customers to create or match a bespoke main hide colour and provides a reference code that can be sent directly to the craftspeople of Bentley Mulliner.

Bespoke choices do not finish on the inside of the car. Beyond the standard palette of Bentley paints, Mulliner has carefully curated their own exquisite range of paint colours; giving customers an additional 26 colours to choose from.

The additional palette contains a mixture of fifteen solid and metallic options, four satin finishes, and seven complex pearlescent three-layer paints. Hand spraying expertise, complemented by the latest robotic technology, delivers the best possible finish on each vehicle. Combining the art of colour with the science of paint, Bentley offers one of the largest ‘stock’ colour palettes of any luxury automotive manufacturer.

For the ultimate in exclusivity, the craftspeople at Bentley’s personal commissioning division can colour-match virtually any sample provided, using innovative colour recognition software to analyse the composition of the sample provided and reproducing it to perfection. The only limit is the customer’s imagination.

In addition, for those customers wanting to bring their exterior colour choice into the cabin of their grand tourer, Bentley now offers the luxury of choice through painted veneers – with the fascias and waistrails painted to the same piano-finish standard as the exterior, in any one of the scores of colours on offer.

Via the Bentley configurator, customers can visualise the new choices the extended palette offers. By selecting the different paints, the information panel will display the story and history behind the chosen colour.

Voluntary sector groups invited to bid for contracts

Organisations are being invited to submit applications for a number of voluntary sector contracts which are being offered by the City of Wolverhampton Council.

There are eight Lots, valued at between £30,000 and £265,000 per annum. They are: Welfare, Debt, Housing and Benefits Advice; Co-ordinated City Skills System; Infrastructure Representation, Growth and Partnership Working; Infrastructure Co-design and Co-production; Infrastructure Organisational Support, Capacity Building and Training; Citywide Structured and Supported Volunteering; Volunteering Strategy and Digital Platform; and Self Employment and Entrepreneurs.

Voluntary sector organisations invited to bid for contracts

The deadline for organisations to submit applications for a number of voluntary sector contracts being offered by the City of Wolverhampton Council has been extended.

There are eight Lots, valued at between £30,000 and £265,000 per annum. They are: Welfare, Debt, Housing and Benefits Advice; Co-ordinated City Skills System; Infrastructure Representation, Growth and Partnership Working; Infrastructure Co-design and Co-production; Infrastructure Organisational Support, Capacity Building and Training; Citywide Structured and Supported Volunteering; Volunteering Strategy and Digital Platform; and Self Employment and Entrepreneurs.

Volunteering by over 65s is valued at £3bn a year in the West Midlands!

A new study from Retirement Villages Group (“RVG”) today reveals that the total value of unpaid services provided by retirees in the West Midlands annually is £3bn and a staggering £48bn across the UK every year 1 - the equivalent of 2% of 2021 UK GDP.  The findings highlight the critical but often overlooked role people aged over 65 have in our society and economy.   

Warm reception as hospitality business wins top award

Amplify, the NEC Group’s premier hospitality business and hospitality provider for Resorts World Arena and Arena Birmingham, were crowned the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) Business of the Year.

The ambitious, six-strong team, led by Sally Walder, say they have adopted a “mindset of continuous improvement” and the award judges were impressed with their growing performance from modest beginnings.

They were selected for the GBCC’s premier title, sponsored by SCC, Europe's largest IT solutions company after clinching the award for Excellence in Sales and Marketing, supported by O2.

They have helped the NEC Group become the UK’s leading live events business operating in exhibitions, conferences, music, sports, family entertainment and hospitality.

Amplify’s reputation, both in the West Midlands and beyond, has led to incredibly high demand.

There is a waiting list for their premium membership offer, Air, and there is a new debenture-style membership to meet demand.

Newly-introduced call-back technology means the team don’t lose potential sales leads and website enhancements have made it easier for customers to book.

The website now offers sample menus for each hospitality level and virtual Google Earth tours of the restaurants, showing off the premium food choices and dining spaces on offer. Highlights of the past year have included:

• Take That – hospitality tickets sold out in hours, with more people than before choosing hospitality over standard seating.
• The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2018 generated a record year of hospitality revenue.

Russell Jeans, the GBCC’s chief operating officer, who chaired the judging panel, said: “Amplify exude a continual improvement ethos - capitalising on innovative new digital commerce, exceptional client knowledge, customer service and outstanding brand marketing to drive sales in this incredibly dynamic and exciting business.”

OTHER AWARDS

Excellence in Contribution to the Community (Sponsors: Big John’s)

St Mary’s Hospice

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice are celebrating 40 years of providing care across Birmingham and Sandwell. Their mission is to “enable anyone with a life-limiting illness to live their life to the full” - a statement created by founder Monica Pearce.

Excellence in Customer Service (Sponsors: Virgin Trains)

Handle Kingdom Ltd

Handle Kingdom, who specialise in the retail of architectural hardware, have a strong commitment to “Customer is King” and go the extra mile to create an enjoyable and memorable experience. They have developed processes and simplified policies to make them customer friendly and  have  invested in training staff.

Excellence in Hospitality (Sponsors: Quality Business)

Conference Aston

A subsidiary of Aston University, Conference Aston is now one of the city’s foremost meeting destinations. With more than 40 years’ experience in the hospitality industry it has carefully crafted its offering to deliver high-quality service across its operations. The catering team have launched a campaign focusing on health-conscious menus.

Excellence in International Business (Sponsors: Aston University)

AFL Architects

AFL Architects, delivering high-profile sports projects globally, have grown their international business by 143 per cent over three years. They have established themselves worldwide with projects like the 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium, the largest venue at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar which will host the final and opening matches.

Excellence in Manufacturing (Sponsors: Birmingham Airport)

KEP Print Group

KEP Print Group, in an industry where countless print manufacturers have closed since the rise of digital marketing, have not only survived but made major changes to enter into a new chapter of sustainable growth. The Group has been a staple of the Greater Birmingham business community for 40 years.

Excellence in People Development (Sponsors: Wesleyan)

National Express

The public transport company is driven by the belief that they are a people business, employing many thousands and moving millions of customers. As well as being the biggest proportion of their workforce, they regard their bus and coach drivers are their most important and most valuable asset.

Excellence in Retail (Sponsors: Bullring and Grand Central)

Loki Wines

In seven years Loki Wine have been cited many times for being at the forefront of the independent drive in Birmingham that came out of the financial crisis in 2008.

Loki have won every national industry award in the UK and they were the first West Midlands merchant to win a national wine retail award.

Excellence in Technology & Innovation (Sponsors: Millennium Point)

Managed Enterprise Technologies Ltd

(METCloud)

The cyber security firm are driving forward with innovations and are currently collaborating with Birmingham City University (BCU) as part of the Big Data Corridor initiative to develop their own Artificial Intelligence (AI).  The result will give METCloud a global advantage in cyber defence and surveillance.

Excellence in Training and Education (Sponsors: Scholars School System)

Services for Education

The charity, dedicated to providing music tuition for a wide range of organisations, including schools and local authorities, engages with 37,991 children in Birmingham each week. It tackles unconventional issues rarely discussed with other training providers and practices activities like healthy eating and mental health awareness.

Warning for airlines over passenger refund rights

The aviation watchdog has warned airlines that they are legally required to provide refunds to customers who had their lights cancelled because of coronavirus.

By law, plane operators must refund customers within seven days if their flight is cancelled.

But with fewer than 10% of UK flights already taken off, airlines are struggling to deal with all the requests for refunds.

The CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) said that it could take action against airlines.

In a statement, the regular said; “We are reviewing how airlines are handling refunds during the coronavirus pandemic and will consider if any action should be taken to ensure that the consumer rights are protected”.

Last month, consumer group Which? said that it had received thousands of complaints from people who are struggling to secure a refund from their cancelled travel.

Instead, airlines were offering customers vouchers to be used when lockdown is lifted.

Which? said that the travel industry’s own estimates suggests £7bn of travellers’ money was affected.

Warwick Agri-Tech ploughs the future of farming and forestry with robotics

The University of Warwick announces Warwick Agri-Tech to help the future of farming with automation – addressing issues such as labour shortages, food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.

Warwickshire announce Stuart Cain as new CEO

Warwickshire County Cricket Club has appointed Stuart Cain as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to replace Neil Snowball.

Cain is a well-known figure in the West Midlands’ business community and the broader sports and entertainment sector, of which he has amassed more than 20 years’ experience.

He joins the Bears after three years at Wasps Holdings Limited where he held a number of positions, most recently CEO, and helped establish Wasps rugby and netball teams at the Ricoh Arena after the move from London. In that time, he has also developed the Ricoh Arena’s conference, exhibition and concert business, as well as their wider estate masterplan, including the development of additional hotel, retail and leisure space.

Prior to joining Wasps, Cain spent more than seven years with the NEC Group as Managing Director of Commercial Marketing. His career has also included commercial and marketing leadership roles in football with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Glasgow Rangers as well as leading the sports practice of global media agency WPP, which involved working with FIFA on the World Cup in South Africa and initiatives in Asia and the USA.   Before working in sport he was Marketing Services Director at Molson Coors in Burton-on-Trent, masterminding Carling’s sponsorship of the Premier League.

Mark McCafferty, Chairman of Warwickshire CCC, said: “We’re delighted that Stuart will be joining us at the Bears. His experience and achievements in sport, events and venue development will complement very well the existing leadership strengths at the Club and help ensure the delivery of our new five-year plan.

“These are difficult times for everyone to navigate but we appreciate more than ever the huge role that the Club plays in the community and the enjoyment that we can bring to so many when we return.

“It’s very clear that we shall now need to adapt and enhance our engagement with Members, fans, commercial partners and cricket communities locally and overseas. Stuart’s experience will be central to that growth and we look forward to welcoming him to the Bears.

“On behalf of everyone at the Club, I’d like to express our thanks and appreciation to Neil for everything he has achieved over the last few years and for the platform he and the team have put in place for the next stage of our development. We shall look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role at the ECB and wish him every success.”   

Cain is expected to join Warwickshire CCC in August following the departure of Snowball, who will leave Edgbaston after four and a half years as CEO to take up a position as Managing Director of County Cricket with the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

“I’m very excited at the prospect of working with the management team and Board to deliver a new era of sporting success on the field, while working with the wider team to build new levels of community involvement and deliver the next phase of Edgbaston’s development,” said Stuart Cain. “Neil has really moved Warwickshire CCC forward and I’m relishing the opportunity to build on his legacy.

“I’ve been a regular visitor to Edgbaston over the years and witnessed some great games. By a quirk of fate, I have also played cricket at the Edgbaston Community Sports Ground, when I worked in the beer trade, and so I’m looking forward to going back again.

“The Club has very proud traditions and its men’s and women’s teams have achieved great success across all formats of the game.  We need to continue this into the future.

“In Edgbaston, we have one of the world’s great sporting venues, which consistently stage the biggest fixtures in the game and offers outstanding facilities that can be utilised all year round.  Part of my role will be to develop this multi-use philosophy further.

“With the second phase of the master-plan due to get underway soon and a third phase due to be launched in the near future, I’m looking forward to working with the team at Edgbaston and with our major local and national stakeholders to support the development of cricket in Birmingham, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands.

“Fate is a wonderful thing; little did I know when organising the Neil Abberley Memorial Trophy between Wasps and the Bears at Knowle & Dorridge CC in 2018 that I would end up swapping sides and working for Warwickshire CCC.  I can’t wait.”

Webb Fontaine and KenTrade set to revolutionise the Kenya logistics market

Webb Fontaine, a global leader in trade technology solutions, has partnered with Kenya National Electronic Single Window System Operator, State Agency, known as Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade), to revolutionise the Kenyan logistics landscape with the Digital Logistics Market Place (DLMP). This innovative, first-of-its-kind platform is poised to reshape logistics practices, igniting trade volumes, catalysing e-commerce growth, and serving as a catalyst for further development of this immense trade marketplace. 

Webb Fontaine empowers Guinea Customs with state-of-the-art tracking solutions of goods in transit

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.

Webb Fontaine expands Central American footprint with Costa Rican customs project

Webb Fontaine, a global technology leader company, alongside with PBS Group has secured a ground-breaking contract with the Costa Rican Ministry of Finance to implement a state-of-the art digitalized Customs Management System.

Welcoming retirees back into the workforce: What employers need to consider

As UK employers look to plug a chronic nationwide skills gap which is holding back growth, thousands of over-50s are being encouraged to ‘un-retire’ and go back to work.

According to government figures, an estimated 630,000 people have left Britain’s jobs market since 2019, with many aged 50+ choosing not to return to the workplace after the Covid pandemic.

West Coast main line flood repairs to impact London Euston trains

Rail passengers are being warned of changes to trains in and out of London Euston so urgent repairs can take place after severe flash flooding.

The deluge in the capital on Monday July 12 caused an electricity substation to catch fire disabling London Overground services to Watford. Urgent repairs need to take place to pump away any remaining standing water and fix cables damaged in the electrical fire.

The work means all lines in and out of London Euston must be closed between 11pm today and 6am tomorrow (Thursday July 15). Passengers are being asked to travel early tonight.

The urgent repairs will impact Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, Caledonian Sleeper and London Overground passengers at the end of today and first thing tomorrow morning. Bus replacement services will be in place to keep passengers on the move and people are being urged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk for the latest information.

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “I’m sorry that your journeys have been disrupted this week. Our engineers will be making critical repairs tonight. 

"The floods made the railway look like a swimming pool, but with 750 volts of electricity running through it. We’ve had to make the site safe before going in and pumping away the remaining flood water and repairing the fire damage.”

West Coast main line: Christmas travel clear – upgrades in New Year

Passengers using the West Coast main line between London Euston and Crewe can rely on the railway to get home to loved ones this Christmas during railway improvement work.

This year major bank holiday upgrades will take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, when traditionally the railway shuts down for a festive face-lift.

West Midands leaders inform national infrastructure advisers’ fact finding tour

Ensuring the West Midlands have the infrastructure in place to make the most of the opportunities of the coming decades was on the agenda as the government’s official advisers on infrastructure policy visited the region.

Maximising the benefits of HS2 through investment in local public transport, helping businesses expand their services and markets with 5G technologies, and ensuring that infrastructure helps reduce carbon emissions were all discussed during a series of meetings between the National Infrastructure Commission and Cllr Bob Sleigh, Deputy Mayor for the West Midlands and officials from West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

West Midlands Based Business Launches First Ever Safety E-learning Solution for Commercial Vehicle Industry

Inspire International UK, pioneers in health and safety, environmental and quality management within the commercial vehicle market, based in Meriden Business Park, West Midlands has announced the launch of its new vehicle workshop safety e-learning solution, E-Workshop – a first for the industry.

Inspire International UK is a family run business, with 20 employees, managed by Jagjeet Singh Virdee, Managing Director and his Father Harvinder Singh Virdee, Technical Director. The father and son duo have provided commercial vehicle health and safety solutions to over 250 commercial vehicle workshops across the UK for over 30 years.

Aimed at the commercial vehicle market, the E-Workshop solution has been designed and developed by Inspire International UK, the UK’s leading provider of health and safety management solutions for commercial vehicle workshops, offering 16 health and safety e-learning modules, plus many more which are soon to be released. 

Recent statistics showcased that over half of companies expect an increase in their risk profile with 71 per cent expecting to increase investment in legal compliance, with the largest anticipated risk increase from health and safety.[1] To address this, Inspire, through its E-Workshop solution, is offering a Covid-19 Return to Work programme, which explains the changes that have been introduced into the workplace and what employees must do to protect themselves and others from the spread of infection.

Inspire International UK work with well-established and leading businesses in the industry, including the likes of Keltruck, Scania (Great Britain) Ltd, MAN Truck and Bus UK, Haydock Commercials, Ford and Slater Group, Europa Worldwide Group and RH Commercial Vehicles, plus many more.

Jagjeet Singh Virdee, Managing Director at Inspire International UK explains why now is the time for businesses to invest in health and safety e-learning that is specific to their commercial vehicle workshop: “In light of Covid-19 and the challenges this presents Commercial Vehicle Dealerships now and over the next few years, we have worked with Senior Commercial Vehicle leaders to ensure they can maximise workshop hours/utilisation whilst complying to the health and safety regulations that are applicable to their operations.

“E-workshop is the UK’s first commercial vehicle specific health and safety e-learning solution that will help to ensure commercial vehicle dealerships remain compliant to applicable health and safety regulations through the use of e-learning.

“E-workshop is ideal for the current economic climate and will be the future of health and safety training within the commercial vehicle industry.”

The easy to use e-learning solution caters for all personnel, from Directors to Workshop Controllers and Technicians, educating them on the importance of effective health and safety management within a commercial vehicle workshop.

Inspire advises that by investing in the e-learning training modules, it will ensure workshops remain compliant, workshop hours are maximised, the correct type of health and safety training for the correct job role is delivered and teams are educated to effectively avoid and manage health and safety within their working environment.

Jagjeet Singh Virdee continues: “We are a one stop shop for all areas of health and safety management that relates to commercial vehicle businesses. With the launch of E-workshop, we look to further strengthen our position as the experts in commercial vehicle health and safety solutions that are effective, efficient, pragmatic and proven. We are the leaders in our Industry and truly passionate about what we do, so we will continue to invest in developing solutions that will benefit both our existing and new clients.

“We plan to continue to listen to the needs of our customers and monitor any changes/introduction of health and safety regulations to ensure our customers continue to introduce best practices in order to remain compliant.”

The 16 e-learning modules currently include: Covid-19 Return To Work, PIT Safety Awareness, Working At Heights, Health Surveillance – Noise, Respiratory and HAVS awareness, Equipment Checks – Pre-Use and Defective, Vehicle Lifting Equipment, Tyre Inflation and Compressed Air Systems, Electrical Safety and Awareness, Hot Works – Oxy-acetylene, Abrasive Wheel and Welding Safety Awareness, Fire Safety Awareness, Workplace Transport Safety, Fire Warden, First Aid Appointed Person, Introduction To Vehicle Workshop Health and Safety, Emergency Procedures and Reporting Accidents, Incidents and Near Misses, and, Display Screen Equipment, plus many more which are planned to be introduced. 

With over 30 years’ experience and having worked with over 250 client locations, Inspire has a proven track record of ensuring risks are managed effectively and efficiently through the implementation of 'proven' solutions. Each solution has been developed specifically for the commercial vehicle, logistics and food manufacturing markets.  
 

West Midlands businesses account for 5% of UK administrations in 2022, analysis reveals

West Midlands businesses accounted for just 5% of administrations in the first six months of the year – the joint fourth lowest region in the UK – according to analysis by full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau.

More than 620 businesses, 29 of which came from the West Midlands, filed for administration between 1 January and 30 June 2022, marking a 60% increase compared to 2021.

West Midlands businesses and communities to get £88m of support to help drive economic growth and improve quality of life

Businesses and communities across the West Midlands are to get more than £88m of targeted support to help drive economic growth and improve people’s opportunities in life. The Board of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) today (Friday October 28) approved its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) investment plan which will now trigger the Government’s release of the money to the region over the next three years.

West Midlands businesses can find out how to grab HS2 contracts at online summit

West Midlands businesses can find out how they can benefit from the huge opportunities presented by HS2 at a special online summit this week.

HS2 is the largest infrastructure project in Europe and the most important economic and social regeneration project in decades, with the West Midlands at the heart of the new high speed rail network.

West Midlands businesses celebrate Award success

Birmingham Health, Safety and Environment (BHSEA) Members tasted success at an Awards Ceremony held earlier this month at Walsall Football Club.