Swindon-based retailer Oak Furniture Land’s stellar expansion has lifted it further up a prestigious league table of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses. The privately owned firm, founded in 2004 by managing director Jason Bannister, is the only company to appear in the annual Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 for a fifth time. It has...
Chippenham-based hi-tech engineering firm M+W Group is to help develop the UK’s largest waste-to-energy plant of its kind. When completed, the £200m Energy Works scheme in Kingston upon Hull will be able to generate up to 28MW of electricity a year by treating waste – enough to supply 40,000 homes. It will be the...
The corporate deals market has bounced back in the South West and is on course for its strongest year since 2010, according to an analysis of recent mergers and acquisitions published by accountancy firm Grant Thornton. Some 142 deals – ranging from acquisitions to management buyouts and flotations – are projected to complete this...
The body tasked with driving up innovation in the West of England’s growing healthcare sector has generated more than £12m to support collaborative projects between health service providers, industry and universities. The West of England Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) plays a critical role in improving healthcare delivery throughout the area and beyond. The...
Wiltshire speciality pharmaceutical firm Alliance Pharma is to take on more staff and massively increase exports after buying a range of skin treatments in a £132.2m deal. The Chippenham-based firm yesterday snapped up rival Sinclair IS Pharma’s dermatology portfolio of 27 products in a move that effectively doubles the size of the business. Exports...
The CBI welcomed the spending review’s commitment to longer-term investment in the economy but said there was a sting in the tail in the size and scope of the £3m apprenticeship levy. Director-general Carolyn Fairbairn said: “Businesses will be pleased to see the Chancellor staying the course on deficit reduction, his commitment to an...
Swindon business experts have given a mostly positive reaction to this week’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review. Ian Larrard, director of the Swindon and Wiltshire Initiative – part of Business West – said it contained some good news for the region. “Once again the ‘builder’ Chancellor has used the tools at his disposal to...
Chancellor George Osborne today delivered his Autumn Statement and Spending Review. These are the main points: Chancellor says five years ago UK economy was in crisis. Debt will fall this year. £12bn of welfare savings will be delivered in full. Britain has grown faster than any other G7 countries since 2010. Economy is predicted...
Investing in innovation and strategic acquisitions has paid off for Wiltshire manufacturer Avon Rubber with annual pre-tax profits climbing by 19%. The Melksham-based group, which makes gas masks and respirators for the military and emergency services and rubber products for the global dairy industry, achieved an 8% increase in revenues to £134.3m in the...
Swindon firms are being urged to look at the way they deal with bullying in the workplace after a new study by employment advice group Acas revealed the problem is on the increase and that many employees are too afraid to speak up about it. Over the past year Acas South West has dealt...
