Business News

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.

UK Athletics have announced a new partnership with award-winning and globally-acclaimed data management, technology solutions and insights company, Two Circles.

Two Circles, whose client base includes UEFA, Wimbledon, The Premier League and The Hundred amongst 150 globally, will use their unrivalled understanding of sports fan behaviour to help UKA develop and execute marketing strategies that drive commercial revenue growth across core areas of the business. 

On the eve of the 2022 Commonwealth Games, trade unions and the Commonwealth Games organisers have come together to sign a landmark pledge to ensure that all artists and creatives who work during the Games are paid fairly, that the Games works to support the long term health of the creative sector in the region and actively promotes diversity.

Two West Midlands firms have teamed up to pool their skills in a ground-breaking deal that could save millions of pounds for businesses hit by cyberattacks.

A company from the ORLEN Group has signed a reservation contract with Cadeler of Denmark for the transport and installation of some 70 turbines for the Baltic Power offshore wind farm – a joint project of PKN ORLEN and Northland Power Inc. In the next steps, the company will select contractors to supply the turbines, foundations, internal and export cables, to construct offshore and onshore substations, and to provide farm maintenance services. 

Last week Ama Agbeze MBE, joined young people in Birmingham, for the launch of The Prince’s Trust and Commonwealth Games Federation, Youth Voice Plan. It includes recommendations to ensure the legacy of each Commonwealth Games, benefits young people in each host country.

A construction and housebuilding expert has warned that the construction industry must adapt recommendations from critical research into overheating in homes as the climate warms and heatwaves become more frequent,

Mike Leonard, Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University and CEO of the Building Alliance, spoke as the first ever red ‘extreme heat’ warming is in place in the UK as temperatures soar.

Two new residential children's homes are being created to support some of Wolverhampton's most vulnerable young people.

They will each provide specialist support for up to two children and young people who have experienced a significant amount of trauma. Members of the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet (Resources) Panel approved the plans which will see the council use one of its existing assets for one of the homes, and purchase a nearby private property for the second.

More than 50 city businesses have benefitted from Towns Fund support through the Wolverhampton 5G Accelerator 5PRING. The hub was established at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park, as part of the West Midlands 5G (WM5G) test-bed to enable start-up businesses and SMEs to learn about and engage with 5G technologies, and to grow and develop new products/services using technologies such as extended reality, robotics, computer vision, and the Internet of Things.

Rail passengers using the West Coast main line between London Euston and Scotland are being advised to plan ahead with heatwave conditions expected to impact journeys next week. The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat from Sunday (17 July), with temperatures forecast to reach 37°C in London on Monday and Tuesday.

Brits are more comfortable opening up about previous relationships with a new partner than their financial history, reveals new research from Capital One UK. 

Adults will discuss past relationships on average within 11 months of dating someone new, but it takes them 18 months to open up about their finances including details on how much they’ve saved and what they owe.

City of Wolverhampton’s new Business Workspace and Start-up Centre, IGNITE, has today (Monday) officially opened in the city centre’s commercial district.

City of Wolverhampton Council has launched the new business and enterprise hub to inspire start-ups, growth and support people into employment and training. IGNITE (Innovate, Grow, Navigate, Ideas, Technology, Entrepreneurship) is located in ground floor units 3 and 4 of the Council’s i10 office and retail complex at the heart of the city centre’s £150million award-winning transport Interchange.

A new government must be installed swiftly to provide businesses with the “clear, consistent and coherent” leadership it needs, business leaders said. It follows Boris Johnson’s decision to quit after a turbulent 48 hours dominated by resignations from ministers and senior cabinet members.

A plan to re-ignite the West Midlands economy and recapture its pre-pandemic success has been set out as the true scale of the impact of Covid was made clear.

The West Midlands economy shrank by 11% in 2020 due, in part, to its large automotive sector and high number of exporting companies.

One of the UK’s leading metals service centres is targeting further growth after it secured one of the automotive sector’s most demanding quality accreditations. William King Ltd, which specialises in high-tensile steel, aluminium, light gauge processing, electrical steels and niche metal coatings, received the Jaguar Land Rover JLRQ Award earlier this month in front of 150 staff at its Atlas Centre facility in West Bromwich.

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.